Return of the Dragon
by The King of Emerald
Summary: Chapter 14: After the end of the world, you'd think that Solor and his friends would finally get an opportunity to relax... COMPLETE!
1. Solor's Return

**I hope you guys are ready, cause it****'****s time for the next installment of Solor****'****s story!**

**I have begun a brand new story as well on my new joint account with Splinter1, something I like to call the Double Dragon Trouble. I know, lame title, but hey, it works.**

**However, in order for that universe to exist, Solor would have to cease to be in my universe, and that****'****s not exactly ideal to the storyline, seeing that he is the main character and all. So, how do I explain him existing in this universe while he also exists in a completely different one?**

**The Multiple Universe Theory, of course!**

**With every choice, there is the potential for a whole new universe to be born. One with one outcome, and one with the other. So, basically, when Solor is sucked into oblivion in the last chapter****…**

**Oh, read the dang story. I know that****'****s what you****'****re here for.**

XxXxX

Darkness.

Pitch. Black. Darkness.

This was not how Solor was supposed to die.

Last time we checked on Solor, he had begun a sparring match with one of his teammates, Raven of the Teen Titans. Unfortunately, there was a little snag… if you can call having someone possess your sparring partner's body and forcing her to open a tear in reality a little snag. And now, the dragon was stuck in nothingness, forced to go wherever the vacuum was taking him.

What he didn't know was that the path split into two different directions. One would have landed him in a completely new universe, with familiar and new faces that would try his patience to no end.

The other lead to a very specific location and time.

See, when you use a tear, you don't really get rid of what you're trying to kill. You instead temporarily send it out of existence for a short while, then drag it back in at a random interval of time.

Solor, however, did not know that.

Flying face first into the darkness, he quickly had transformed into his scaly, humanish form, and was ready for whatever would come his way. He would never admit it… but he was really scared. He had never been affected by such a dark and terrible spell before, but he knew it could not end well.

Cue him flying face first into a stone wall, causing a loud crash before falling to the ground, grabbing his face in pain. He hissed in rage, setting his nose back in place when he realized it was broken. "That… was unpleasant", he groaned. He then took a look around, wondering what was going on, or where he was.

"Solor?" came a familiar voice, and the dragon turned, surprised to hear it. There stood Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy, along with many other young men that he did not recognize. His focus was, however, on the Titans.

"Robin? Cyborg? Beast Boy?" Solor asked, looking back at where the tear had been. "Well… that was… interesting."

"Well, isn't this a surprise?" came a new voice. Solor looked up… and could barely hold in his comments as he stared at the furry man at the top of a large set of stairs. "If it isn't the mythical beast himself, Solor! I could not find you before, so I did not think you would be able to participate in the Tournament of Heroes!"

Solor growled a bit, and for once, he decided to do the one thing no one expected.

"I do not wish to fight."

Everyone stared in surprise, even the boys that he did not know. Everyone knew of the Teen Titans, and everyone knew that Solor was the most bloodthirsty of them all. If he didn't want to fight, then he must be ill, or something.

"Are you sure?" the Master of Games asked, the gem on his neck glowing.

"I am quite certain", Solor said. "I just came out of a spar with my friends, where I was thrown into a void between dimensions. I would much rather head home and figure out why than compete in a pointless tournament."

Robin and Cyborg looked at Solor, unsure if this was their teammate. Beast Boy, on the other hand, nodded. "Yeah, I think I understand."

"You do?" asked Robin, looking even more confused.

"Yeah. I mean, if I was thrown into that tear, I don't think I'd be up for fighting, either. Besides… he took a nasty hit, and I think his nose is broken. Raven should heal that before it's set like that permanently."

Solor looked impressed, and smiled slightly. "Thank you for understanding, Beast Boy. You have surprised me today." He then turned to the furry man. "Now, Master of Games, I think I would like to go home."

"Very well. I shall return you to Titan's Tower immediately", the Master said, his gem glowing.

In all honesty, he had expected himself to be trapped in some way. But apparently the Master was good on his word, because suddenly, in a flash of light, he was gone from… whatever dimension he had been flung in, and was now back outside the tower, where he had been just before that Tear of Oblivion had sucked him in.

"Oh thank the Alpha", he muttered, relieved to see his home. "I shudder to think what would have happened if that Tear had taken me to another universe altogether…"

Solor slowly entered the tower, tired from everything that happened, and headed right for his room at first. As soon as he entered, though, he realized that it had probably been a week or so since he had been home to everyone else… and groaned again. "I might as well should check on the girls… I do not think any of the boys came home."

With that, he headed for the common room… where lo and behold, all three girls were sitting, looking slightly panicked. "If I came home at a bad time, I can come back later", he said, causing everyone to turn to him.

"Friend Solor!" cried out Starfire, who immediately flew over and wrapped him up in a big hug, which was returned. "We have missed you so much!"

"Hey, Teach", Terra said, smiling as she approached the dragon next, giving him a not-as-strong-but-still-big hug. "Glad you're alright!"

Raven didn't approach him, but still smiled a bit at his return. Even she had missed him, it seemed. Then her smile faltered, as she looked down, seeming ashamed. "Sorry I tried to kill you", she said.

"You did nothing", Solor said, frowning. "It was the Darkness that did it, not you. And besides, that would not have killed me… it sent me to another dimension. Fortunately, it was one that I could return from. And do not worry, the boys are fine."

"You have seen them?" Starfire asked, looking happy. "They are the alright?"

"Indeed. They were getting ready for a tournament when I was sent home", Solor said. "They should be home by tomorrow. Do not worry about them. Now, what have I missed?"

"Well, it's been a few weeks since we saw you", Terra said, sighing. "In that time, we've had to deal with Slade attempting to destroy the tower, as well as a little hiccup with my powers."

"A little? You leveled an entire block", Raven said, earning a glare from Terra.

"Well, it is good that I have returned, then", Solor said, smirking. "Terra, I need to take you training."

"Are you kidding me?" Terra asked, looking slightly flabbergasted. "I told you, it was a hiccup. It could've happened to anyone!"

"Terra, you are not as in control as I would like you to be", Solor said bluntly, glaring at the blonde. "If you were truly in control, that 'hiccup', as you call it, would not have happened. I am assuming Robin and the others managed to keep a very heavy lawsuit from occurring, and have been helping you as much as they can."

"Well... yeah, they have", Terra admitted, holding her arm slightly. "But, still. It was a one time thing. It won't happen again."

"You are right", Solor said, growling a bit. "It will not. Because you and I are going to train so hard, you shall be too tired to even use your powers."

"You gotta be-"

"Nope. Now, to the desert... unless you are a chicken, as the mortal phrase goes?"

That single word gave Terra a very angry expression. "Lead the way, scaly."

XxXxX

The four Titans left on Earth all gathered in the potential war zone. Raven and Starfire were to be referees and, in case of unleashed rage on either party, a means to end the training session. Solor stood on one side of the canyon, his bronze scales gleaming in the sunlight, while Terra stood on the other, placing her goggles over her eyes as she prepared to use her powers. Starfire and Raven were hovering above them, well out of harm's way but still within striking distance should the two combatants take it too far. After all, Solor was known for his rage, and Terra… well, too strong of an emotional outburst could turn the canyon into a plateau in an instant.

"This is going to be much different from our regular training sessions", Solor called out, cracking his knuckles. "Instead of targets, you shall be facing me. And I shall not make it easy for you, Terra."

Terra didn't look scared. Instead, she seemed to be shaking from excitement. After all, she hadn't been cleared for missions since her little hiccup, so it would be nice to use her powers for something other than target practice. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just get this started, already."

Solor raised an eyebrow before sighing. "Impatient, as always… Very well! Come at me!" he roared, before suddenly flapping his wings and taking off. Immediately going on the offensive, the dragon attempted to punch at Terra from above, but the geomancer quickly countered by shooting a pillar of stone right up into the dragon's gut. Instead of grunting in pain though, he grabbed the pillar and broke it from the ground before he swung it at her. Fortunately for Terra, she was able to sever a chunk of the pillar away from the rest, causing him to miss just narrowly. She then split the chunk she took into smaller stones, which were fired at him in rapid succession.

Solor, however, was smarter than that. He avoided each little shard, and continued to swipe out and attempt to hit her with his laws. The newer Titan easily dodged, attempting to hit him with a stone fist. Luckily for Terra, she was able to connect and send him flying again. After going back a little bit, Solor managed to catch himself and wiped his mouth with his arm, grinning viciously.

"You want to play that way, then?" he said, smirking. He took a deep breath and began to spit out fireballs at his student. Terra countered by raising a shield of earth around her, protecting herself from the flames. Unfortunately, that was the plan, as Solor suddenly dived down, punching through the rocks and grabbing her wrist. He then pulled her through the hole he had made, throwing her into the air and shooting more fire at her. She was able to save herself, however, by summoning a boulder and landing on it, veering it away from the flames. She then called on more of the earth, sending it flying towards the dragon and forcing him to land in order to avoid it. Terra then landed as well, joining him on the ground and beginning to fight hand to hand.

As the two shared blows, Solor was observing her movements, and gauging how in control she was. He found few faults with her form, although the ones he had observed were a little glaring in her form. He soon finished up his attack by grabbing her by the fist, and twisting her arm behind her, causing her to hiss in pain. "I win", he said, before letting her go. "Your form is getting better, but you need to work on it more. And it seems in the time I have been gone, you have been slacking in your training to control your power."

"That's a lie!" Terra shouted, obviously not happy. "I work on it every day, following the regimen that we've been working on all the time!"

"Do you meditate?" Solor asked, and sighed when he got silence as an answer. "You need to follow through, Terra. If you do not? More of those... hiccups will occur. I will make sure that does not happen." He turned to Raven. "And you shall too, if you want to make it up to me."

"I tried", Raven said, her monotone showing slight irritation. "She wouldn't listen to me."

"I do not care much for the past", Solor said, growling, his green eyes flashing. "If you want to use your powers to hold her still and force her to meditate, go ahead and do it. I will not accept that a student of mine has given up on herself."

"Whoa, whoa!" Terra protested, glaring. "I am not giving up on myself!"

"Then you should have meditated!" Solor roared, glaring. "Al dammit, Terra, if you do not follow the order, then you shall not be able to complete your training, and people will be in serious danger! Do you want that!?"

When no one said anything, Solo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "If that is all for today... Terra, meditate. Raven, Starfire... go back to the tower. I shall stay here and make sure Terra does what she is supposed to."

Raven nodded, and started flying back. Terra grumbled, but soon sat on the ground and closed her eyes. Starfire, on the other hand, stayed behind, watching Solor for a moment. "Friend Solor, are you the okay?"

Solor sighed, shaking his head. "I am concerned. I have been gone for too long. I need to get things back to normal. And the fact that someone has tried to be rid of me… it concerns me."

"But does that mean you have to be so stern with Terra?" she asked, trying to defend her friend without angering the dragon. "What she has said is true, it only happened once."

"That does not matter", he said. "True, I could have handled the situation better, but in all honesty, I am worried. If it happened once, it can happen again."

"I'm still here, you know", Terra quipped from her meditation spot.

"I am well aware", Solor grumbled back, glaring. He then turned to Starfire. "Please... just go back to the tower. We can catch up once Terra has finished meditating."

As much as she did not want to, Starfire finally relented, and turned to fly back to the tower. However, before she did, she felt his arms wrap around her, pulling her into another hug. "I am sorry that I have been gone so long", came the deep voice of her friend. "I shall make sure it never happens again."

Starfire blushed, but smiled, and soon began to fly home, while Terra and Solor began their first training session in two weeks.

XxXxX

**As much as I would love to say that Terra and Solor made major changes in Season three of Teen Titans... I can't. I honestly do not like the third Season of Teen Titans, and have decided I will leave it out of the story.**

**All except for one chapter, which I am sure you all know of.**

**What awaits our favorite dragon? Tune in and see on the Doomed Titans!**


	2. Betrothed

"Uh… Starfire?"

"Hm?"

"Going somewhere?"

It was another day at the Titans' tower. Key word being was. At the discovery of Beast Boy, Starfire was packing all of her things, and it didn't take long for the rest of the Titans (Terra included) to meet up outside her room and confront her. In fact, Solor, being the caring and concerned friend that he was… promptly blocked her path, so she couldn't leave without explaining herself.

"I am leaving for Tamaran", she explained, attempting to push Solor out of the way, but he stopped her. "Friend Solor, please move out of my way. I must pack my things."

"And why must you do the packing?" Solor asked, causing her to stop. It clicked right away, and his eyes widened. "You… you are not coming back, are you?"

Her silence was enough to answer, and Robin immediately paled. "Starfire, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong!" she said, although a brief grimace showed on her face. "I am… getting married."

"WHAT?!" came the shocked reply from her friends.

"WHAT IN OBLIVION DO YOU MEAN THAT YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED?!" Solor roared, obviously not happy. He began speaking in his native language, cursing and roaring as he rampaged down the hall. Terra stared after him, whistling as he left many scratches on the wall.

"You think he's still ticked off that he's not even allowed to date yet?" she asked, pointing her thumb back behind her as she looked at the other Titans.

"CYBORG!" came the angry roar of the dragon. "HOW DO I START THE DAMN SHIP SO I MAY FLY US TO TAMARAN?! THERE IS NO WAY IN OBLIVION I AM LETTING KREINYOL GO THROUGH WITH THIS ON HER OWN!"

"I'll take that as a yes", Cyborg stated, sighing. "Good thing he's still clueless when it comes to technology…"

Starfire, however, couldn't be happier her friends were coming along.

XxXxX

"You're getting married?"

It hadn't taken long for Solor to calm down and get into his assigned seat. Thanks to the extra members of the team, the T-Ship was built to accommodate more people, along with an extra pair of wings so that Terra and Solor would have their own pods to use should they become separated.

It was apparent Robin was still getting over his shock.

"Indeed! And I cannot wait to see Tamaran!" Starfire exclaimed, practically beaming. "I have been having the 'sick home' feeling. And I cannot wait to welcome you, my friends! First you must ingest in the freshly squeezed Glorg! And wait until you see the Portkins, they are as big as a Flarnob!"

"Um… am I the only one who's scared of the big Portkins?" Beast Boy said meekly.

"You and me both, BB", Terra assured.

"You're getting married?" Robin asked again.

"Yeah, anyone we know?" Raven asked, trying to get more information out of the alien.

"I have never met them", Starfire admitted, pressing her fingers together slightly. "My betrothed has been chosen for me by the Grand Ruler of Tamaran."

"You're getting MARRIED?!" Robin yelled, the straw breaking the camel's back at that sentence.

"To someone you've never MET?!" Solor added, obviously not happy with this as well.

"Yes, Robin, Solor. It is the way of my people."

"… I suppose it is alright", came the surprising response from Solor.

"WHAT?!" Cyborg asked. "You practically demanded to be brought to Tamaran in an attempt to stop this thing, and now you're okay with it?!"

"I never said that", Solor responded. "But the way of her people is similar to mine. Once I reach adulthood, my mate will also be chosen for me by the leaders of the clans, the Circle. I have mentioned this before, have I not?" When there was no answer, he sighed. "Truth of the matter is, I do not like it as much as anyone else here… but if Starfire is doing this because it is the way of her people… then I will support her if she thinks this is the right decision."

Starfire could feel her heart sink a bit. In truth, she really did not want to do this either, and was counting on Solor to fight for her to choose otherwise. But if he was supporting her choice… well, she couldn't really let him down, could she? Her thoughts were interrupted by an explosion.

"I don't suppose this is some sort of crazy Tamaranean welcome committee?" Cyborg asked sarcastically.

"Whoever they are", Raven said, checking the scanners, "they outnumber us 14 to one."

"Not for long", Terra said, cracking her knuckles.

"Titans, separate!" Robin ordered, disconnecting all of the pods.

XxXxX

Solor was confused. So much was happening at once.

Upon arriving at Tamaran, the group was introduced to Galfore, Starfire's k'norfka, which he assumed meant caretaker. He showed them the encroaching army that threatened to overthrow Tamaran's way of life, their very existence. And in the exchange, everyone learned that Starfire was actually second in line for the throne, claiming the title of Princess Koriand'r.

But Solor wasn't interested in any of that. He hadn't said a word since they arrived. Instead, he voiced his concerns to Terra, who was next to him.

"Terra… I am.. bewildered", he began.

"About what?" Terra asked. "You've never been anywhere besides your home and Jump City, right? What's troubling you?"

"… Cyborg said something earlier, that has me curious… what is this 'tickling' he spoke of?"

Terra deadpanned. "Seriously? Starfire's a princess, we're on an alien world, we're witnessing a wedding to some sort of alien species, and the thing that's troubling you is that you have no idea what tickling is?"

Solor glared. "If you are not going to answer me, then forget I even asked. I shall get my answer elsewhere."

Terra sighed. "Jeez, maybe I should teach you some stuff about being human in return for teaching me how to use my powers. I'm pretty certain you're an alien, too."

"For your information, I am as native to Earth as you are", the dragon puffed indignantly. "Forget I asked, I have to focus on what we're here for." He walked ahead of Robin and the rest of the group, and reached out to Starfire. "Kreinyol, may I-?"

His sentence was interrupted when Galfore was suddenly between the two, unsheathing a weapon hidden at his side and pointing it at the dragon. "Outworlders are forbidden to touch the princess!"

Solor, however, growled. "Mortals are forbidden to attempt to attack Solor!" he roared back, batting the weapon away as if it was a toy. "Be thankful that I am here for Kreinyol, weakling, or I may take a shot at seeing who is stronger!"

Galfore growled, his left eye glowing. "Keep speaking, clorbag, and I shall prove who is the stronger of us!"

Starfire stared at the two, not knowing who to calm down. But her fears were soon put at ease, as she saw a smile form on Solor's face. He held his hand out, surprising everyone, including Galfore. "You are an old warrior, are you not? I can see it in your stance… the gordanians must have been many that fell to your might."

Galfore blinked, then smiled, then began to laugh before he clasped the dragon's claw. "Indeed they were, little one! And you are a warrior as well, are you not? I can tell by your stance that you have been ready to fight the minute you have arrived!"

"I am", Solor said. He bowed his head. "Solor of the Light, at your service, Galfore."

"X'hal", said the older tamaranean. "It would be an honor to combat you, Solor. But there is much to be done. Come, a feast is to be shared with you for bringing our dearest Starfire back to us."

As everyone stared at the two, Starfire couldn't help but smile as well. She had hoped that the two would get along. They were, after all, very much alike.

All the others were thinking, "What just happened?"

After the eventful (and messy) feast (which Solor happily took part of, much to everyone's chagrin), the sudden blare of what appeared to be some sort of horn caught everyone's attention, and seeing the natives beginning to bow, the Titans soon followed their example, kneeling down and bowing their heads. "All hail the Grand Ruler of Tamaran", exclaimed Galfore. "The Empress..."

"Blackfire?!" Starfire cried, causing everyone to look up. Indeed it was the elder sister of the Titan. She was wearing her normal attire, but added a flowing robe and an elegant crown to the ensemble, looking more and more sinister as she stared down at the Titans.

"Surprised to see me, little sister?" she asked, sounding incredibly smug.

"I am... surprised to see you out of prison!" Starfire declared, standing up with her eyes glowing green.

"Oh... that", said Blackfire, her violet eyes flashing with annoyance. "Well, after you had me thrown in jail, I got bored. So I broke out and took over Tamaran for kicks." Solor noticed Galfore wince at that, and narrowed his eyes. "But enough about me. I'm sure you're eager to see who you'll be spending the rest of your life with." With that, Blackfire waved her arm, moving out of the way.

Behind her was the very definition of "hunk", as Starfire and the other girls stared dreamily at the young warrior, with chiseled abs, long flowing hair, and a beautiful face. But then the man moved away... and was replaced by what looked like a green blob with many mouths covering his entire body. Solor snarled angrily, realizing something was going on, but said nothing. He merely turned away, disgusted by the creature.

"Starfire, meet your groom, Glgrdsklechhh."

XxXxX

Starfire sighed as she stared out to the land that Tamaran had become. A war zone waiting to happen, and it was all the Sklerch's fault. She didn't know what to do... marry him and save the people, or challenge the wedding and risk destruction. If only one of her friends were here... perhaps to listen to her, when she was at her darkest moment.

"Kreinyol?" came a familiar voice, and turning, she saw her friend, Solor, standing on the edge of the balcony. "You are alright?"

"Solor!" she cried, racing over and giving him a big hug. "Thank X'hal you-" Then she realized what she was doing, and quickly pulled away. "I mean... I trust that you are being treated well?"

Solor frowned, giving her a knowing look. "Kreinyol, you are not happy."

"I am doing what is best for Tamaran", she replied, turning away.

"Is it best for you?"

"Solor, if you cannot be happy for me, then perhaps you should not attend my wedding."

"Kreinyol, how can I be happy for you... if you are not happy for you?"

Starfire turned back, and was about to say something, when a hand began reaching for Solor from behind. "Friend Solor, look out!"

The dragon was quick to react, and quickly grabbed the hand, flipping the enemy over and slamming him onto the ground. "I knew it", snarled Solor, seeing one of Blackfire's personal guards lying there, dazed from the sudden flip. "She is up to something, Kreinyol. She would not attempt to stop me from talking to you if she was not."

"But why is she so interested in this marriage if it is not for peace?" Starfire asked, bewildered. Solor decided to try something, and took out his communicator.

"Solor calling Robin. Have you discovered anything?"

Robin's face lit up on the communicator. "Yeah. The whole thing is a scam. Raven and I discovered that she's only marrying off Starfire so she can get her hands on a gem... the Jewel of Charta, if memory serves right."

"The Jewel of Charta… if that is true, then Blackfire is only doing this for power", Starfire said, saddened. "So she has not changed at all…"

"And the invasion isn't an invasion at all", Cyborg said next, appearing on the screen. "The ships are all remote controlled. But before BB, Terra and I could take one apart and figure out who was sending the signal, we got captured and thrown in prison."

"As I thought", Solor snarled. "Robin was correct in assuming that Blackfire was up to something. Do whatever you can to get out of there. Starfire and I are going to have a little chat with her sister."

"But how?" Starfire asked. "There are guards at every door in every hallway. We shall never reach her without being seen."

Solor smirked in response, and his answer was to flap his wings lightly before rushing forward, breaking through the door and punching both guards in the face, effectively knocking them out.

"There. They have not seen us yet."

XxXxX

"WHAT?!"

The elder tamaranean was standing in the grand hall, hearing shocking news. All of the Titans had been collected and gathered in prison… except for two.

"What do you mean Solor and Starfire have yet to be accounted for?!" she roared. "Starfire should be in her room, getting ready for her wedding! And how hard can it be to collect a bronze human?!"

There was an explosion of emerald flames as the door to the grand hall was broken and sent flying forward. There stood Solor and Starfire, eyes both glowing green as they glared at the Grand Ruler. "Oh, I assure you… I am more than a simple human!" the dragon roared, his mouth smoking.

"Ah, there you are", Blackfire said, composing herself and smirking. "We were just about to get you, sister dearest. Where is your wedding dress?"

"There shall be no wedding, Komand'r", said Starfire, her gaze for once cold. "I thought you had changed. I thought you were doing what was best for Tamaran. But now I see that _you_ are not what is best for Tamaran."

"You dare to challenge your ruler?" asks Blackfire, her violet eyes flashing.

"I challenge my sister", replied Starfire, her emerald eyes beginning to glow with quiet anger. "For the throne."

At that, Blackfire yelled angrily, upset that her plans were foiled. Solor would have joined the battle, but he had a feeling that Starfire needed to go through this alone. So, the two royal sisters began duking it out, throwing starbolt after starbolt at each other. After another fly by, Blackfire actually had a couch in her hands, throwing it at her sister. Soon, the dragon was joined by the rest of the team, looking ready to fight as well.

"Hold", said Solor. "Starfire must do this on her own."

"How can you say that?!" asked Robin. "She needs our help!"

"Solor is right", said Galfore, who joined them as well. "Starfire has challenged Blackfire for the throne. If there is any interference, it is automatically forfeit."

"Besides, our girl can handle it", Cyborg said, placing a reassuring hand on Robin's shoulder.

So, the team had no choice but to watch and hope for the best. As the two sisters blasted through the walls, punching and shooting at each other, Solor couldn't help but smile. Starfire had yet to reveal her ace in the hole, and Blackfire was barely keeping up, even with the Jewel of Charta on her neck. Starfire was becoming ruthless, and understandably so. She was tricked into thinking her sister had changed, and discovered she was willing to sacrifice her own sister to gain more power.

Understandably, Starfire was beyond pissed off.

Eventually, Blackfire was able to tap into the Jewel of Charta's magic, and soon gained the upper hand, throwing couch after couch onto Starfire. "Face it, Starfire", she said, as her little sister was kneeling on the ground, panting. "You'll always just be my little sister."

"I am not so little anymore", Starfire snapped, and finally used her eye beams to take her sister down. While Blackfire was stunned, not expecting her "little sister" to have gone through Trainsformation, Starfire flew up and grabbed the Jewel. Once it was off her neck, she had no problems taking the "grand ruler", throwing starbolt after starbolt at her big sister. Finally, Blackfire fell to the ground, the crown falling off of her head as she panted, finally unable to fight.

"The challenge is complete", Starfire said, picking up the crown. Once it was on her head, she looked to her people. "Tamaran has a new Grand Ruler." With that, everyone began to cheer, while the alien groom let out a defeated gurgle. Starfire turned to her sister. "My first act as Grand Ruler is to banish Blackfire. May she never return to Tamaran."

"You'r going to banish me?!" Blackfire asked, glaring as she was picked up by the guards. "Where will I go?!" Then she noticed Glgrdsklechhh staring at her expectantly. "In your dreams, sklerg." She was then taken away, no doubt to be dumped on some planet far away.

"Kreinyol", Solor said, walking forward. "I suppose you are the ruler now. What shall you do next?"

"What is right for Tamaran", she responded. He had no idea what that meant, but he bowed his head, surprising her.

"Whatever you do, my friend... I shall support you."

XxXxX

"All hail Empress Starfire!"

It was a little later. All of Tamaran had gathered at the foot of the palace, to celebrate the crowning of a new Grand Ruler. The Titans watched, getting ready to go. Their mission was done, and no one felt more bummed about it than Robin and Solor.

"One of my friends asked me", Starfire began, "before the wedding, if I was happy. I said I was doing what was right for Tamaran, and asked for his support. His response was, 'How can I be happy for you if you are not happy for you?' So I overthrew my sister, because my heart told me that she was not right for Tamaran." She then looked back at her friends, from Raven all the way to Robin. Solor looked at her briefly, before focusing on the task at hand. And she could have sworn that she saw the tiniest tear in the corner of his eye.

She smiled. "And now my heart is telling me... that I am not right for Tamaran." There was a collective gasp, as everyone stared at Starfire. "My life and my heart is on Earth. That is where I belong." She then took off her crown, floating up to her k'norfka and placing it on his head. "But I leave you in good hands. The hands that cared for me as a child. All hail Emperor Galfore!"

With loud cheers, Galfore was accepted as Tamaran's new ruler. Starfire then turned to her friends. "Let us return to Earth. I am feeling the sick for my home. My real home."

"Then let's hurry!" Beast Boy said, his legs crossed together. "I couldn't figure out how to use the bathrooms here!"

"We are NOT having any accidents in the T-Ship, you understand me?!" Cyborg ordered, as the group began to leave.

"I'm glad your staying for a long time", Robin said, smiling. "And not getting married."

Starfire nodded, and hugged Galfore goodbye before getting ready to leave. Solor quickly wiped his eyes dry, also getting ready to depart, when Galfore spoke up. "Solor." The dragon turned, surprised that the emperor wanted to talk to him. "Keep my little bumgorf safe, my friend."

Solor smiled, and bowed his head. "I would do so, even if you had not asked me to." He then frowned, looking at Galfore oddly. "You have... ideas about me and Kreinyol."

Galfore nodded. "It is as plain as day. You care very much for her."

Solor looked down, then back down the path that his friends had walked. He sighed. "I do not wish to upset you, Galfore... but there is nothing going on between me and Kreinyol." He looked at the emperor, deciding to share this bit of information. "In my culture... my mate will be determined by my leader, the Grand Light."

Galfore frowned as well. "But you are banished from your homeland, are you not? Surely you can do whatever you wish?"

"My wish is to return to my homeland", said Solor. "That... that is my priority as Heir to the Light." He bowed his head. "No matter how I feel... to Starfire, or anyone else. I cannot pursue a relationship."

Galfore pressed a hand to his chin. "Then do me a favor as a friend, Solor." He kneeled down so he could get a better look into Solor's eyes. "Keep Starfire safe. Not because I ask you to... but because no matter what words your mind speaks... your heart is unable to lie."

Solor frowned, and nodded. He bowed his head one more time, before turning to return to Earth.

He had a lot to think about today.

XxXxX

As soon as they were all home, Solor retreated to his room. He needed nothing more than to think about what Galfore said.

_No matter what words your mind speaks... your heart is unable to lie._

"What does he mean by that?" asked Solor. "My heart knows I cannot pursue a relationship with anyone from this realm."

He thought more, drumming his fingers along his desk, before he heard his door opening. He turned, seeing Starfire there, and smiled slightly. "Hello, my friend", he said. "How are you doing?"

"I am glad to be home", Starfire responded. She plopped onto Solor's bed, stretching lightly. "I have missed it dearly."

Solor was about to say something when he looked at Starfire's exposed stomach. He remembered from when they first arrived on Tamaran, and decided it was best to ask her now. "Kreinyol, there is something I must ask... but I do not wish to make this... awkward."

Starfire sat up, looking at her friend. "What is it, friend Solor?"

"What is... tickling?"

At those words, Starfire blushed lightly. "You do not know?" she asked, fidgeting a bit nervously.

"No. My people do not show much attention to each other physically", he said, sounding a bit embarrassed. "I asked Terra about it earlier, but she did not answer my question, saying I was an alien for not knowing about it."

Starfire immediately understood, and her nervousness faded. He wasn't going to tickle her, by the looks of it. "Well... from my understanding, it is a form of touch", she replied. "It is hard to explain... when you touch someone a certain way on certain parts of their body, you can cause a sensation that forces the person on the receiving end to laugh." She hugged her knees. "Galfore and I are very close, so I know he would never tickle me too much. But I am severely ticklish. The lightest touch to my skin can cause me to laugh very loudly."

Solor sat on the bed next to her, and swallowed his pride. "Could you... teach me?"

Immediately Starfire's face turned red, and she held up her hands. "Y-You want me to teach you how to tickle another?"

Solor blushed a bit, and played with his claws. "This... tickling as you describe it... it is an unknown feeling to me. And I do not like being in the dark about something. If you do not wish to, I understand."

Starfire was still blushing, and for a moment, it looked like she was going to say no way. But then she looked into Solor's eyes, and all her defenses were put to the side. Nervously, she nodded. "Y-Yes... I will teach you." She lays back, placing her arms behind her back as she leaves her upperbody exposed. "J-Just be g-g-gentle..."

Solor nodded, and lowered his hands. He remembered seeing how Galfore tickled her, and decided to try a similar tactic. Gently, he pressed his fingers into her exposed stomach, and moved his fingers slowly, wondering if he was doing this right. Seeing how Starfire was biting her lip and squirming lightly told him that yes, he was doing this right. He then tried a new tactic and ran his fingers along her navel, causing her to arch her back lightly as she gasped before beginning to giggle.

This exchange lasted for five minutes, with him constantly tickling her belly and her constantly giggling and squirming. Solor smiled as he listened to his friend laugh, and slowly sped up, making the tickling a little more unbearable with every passing minute. Finally, Starfire couldn't take it anymore, and began to try to catch his hands. "S-S-Solor! S-stop!" she cried out, laughing her head off. He obeyed, and pulled back his hands. It was then he noticed how she looked laying on his bed.

Her hair was lightly ruffled, spread out on the bed. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. And she was still smiling, even though he had stopped. He had to admit... she looked beautiful.

Then his eyes widened as he realized what it was he was thinking, and he turned away.

"Thank you, Starfire", he said. "Now get out."

Starfire frowned, noticing that he didn't call her "Kreinyol" that time. "Solor? Is everything-"

"OUT!" he barked. Startled by his sudden gruffness, she quickly left, closing the door behind her. He put his hands on his head, feeling more confused than before. "Why... why did I think she was beautiful?" he whispered to himself.

Meanwhile, outside of Solor's room, Starfire had her hands clutching her heart. She didn't know what to think. He had just kicked her out for apparently no reason. And yet she couldn't stop thinking about his touch, and blushed as she thought more about it.

The relationship between the two of them was going to be different from now on.

XxXxX

**Hey, guys. It's been a while since I posted anything for this chapter. Well, I'm going to be working on this more from now on, I promise. I also realize that there are a few more chapters from Season 3 that Solor can be a part of, including one that reveals to the Titans the existence of Dragons. This is going to be interesting, that's for sure.**


	3. Spellbound

**I know I said that Betrothed would be the only episode from Season 3 that I would post. However, I realized that this season, THIS ONE, has the most well known episode involving Raven and a certain book. I figured this might be important to the plot of Solor, so this is why I'm adding it. Or at least, my version of it.**

XxXxX

It has been a couple months since the trip to Tamaran. Solor and Starfire have been avoiding each other, not sure how to deal with their budding emotions towards each other. Solor had taken to training rigorously, figuring that the distraction and the exhaustion would help him think of a way to deal with this new development. Starfire, meanwhile, did her best to act like nothing was going on, but the telltale signs would be there whenever they were in the same room. Needless to say, the others noticed, but were powerless to help them out.

In the meantime, Cyborg had been infected with a serious virus, one that made him think everything was food. Thanks to quick thinking on Beast Boy's part (surprisingly), the day was saved, but he wasn't really off the hook, considering it was his fault that Cyborg was infected in the first place. However, the damage done to the city was minimal thanks to Solor's strength and scales, able to hold the crazed Cyborg back with nary a bite mark on his person.

However, the more serious event that we're talking about in this tale today is the story of a certain empath... and a really bad book.

Solor remembered the first time he noticed it. He had been rather confused about Starfire, and wanted to distract himself. However, training would only get him so far, so he decided to try something else. He turned to meditation, but found it rather difficult to focus on anything other than how beautiful the princess of Tamaran was.

He found it rather irritating. "Curse my thoughts... they shall lead me to Oblivion..." He growled a bit more, deciding to get some outside help. Terra and Beast Boy were out of the question, as they would immediately tell him to ask her out, which was NOT what he wanted. And asking Robin for any advice or favors... the mere thought made him want to puke. Cyborg would just tease him about it.

That left Raven.

"So... what exactly happened?" she asked, allowing the dragon into her room. Normally, she didn't allow anyone in her room, but Solor and Starfire were the exceptions. Solor especially had become a constant meditation partner, trying to conquer his constant rage. He was willing to put himself in a humble point and ask her for pointers, since she was the master of keeping her emotions under control.

"I must speak of... something", he answered. "I do not understand why I feel this way, and I was hoping that you would be able to give me some advice or some other way to avoid this."

"I can't guarantee that my advice will help", Raven said. "But I'll try. Now, what happened? Does this have anything to do with Starfire?"

Solor nodded. "Yes... it does." Suddenly, he felt very embarrassed. He didn't understand why, but he suddenly didn't want to talk to Raven about what happened.

"I'm assuming it's from the day we returned from Tamaran", the empath continued. "You both have been rather... unbalanced around each other since then. Do you want to explain to me exactly what happened?"

Solor sighed, knowing that he'd have to fess up sooner or later. Reluctantly, he told her about what happened, from his conversation with Galfore to the moments leading up to him and Starfire avoiding each other. When he was done, he looked down, feeling very ashamed. He didn't know why, but he was very uncomfortable with the events that happened.

Raven, meanwhile, only mulled it over for a little while. "And you both have been avoiding each other for a couple month, right?" When Solor nodded, she let out an amused sigh. "Have to admit, I was kinda expecting more from the story. You and Starfire were so close, I thought you did something really wrong." She then placed a finger on her chin. "But that's not the point... what did you think when you kicked her out? What made you suddenly decide that you needed to stay away from her?"

Solor grumbled a bit. "I... I had a thought that should not have been there. For one, we are teammates, and from very different lands and are used to different customs. Two, even if I were to truly think that way-"

"What did you think, Solor?" Raven urged, getting slightly impatient with him.

"... I thought she was beautiful", Solor finally admitted. "Seeing her, like that... it made me see her in a way I never thought of before. And it frightens me. I am usually not one to admit to such weakness... but it does frighten me. I am not allowed to have thoughts like that... not about Starfire, not about you, not about Terra... not about anyone."

"Due to your culture, where courtship is only allowed when one reaches adulthood, right?" When Solor nodded, Raven sighed. "Well, I don't know about you, since your powers affect your biology, but most of us go through a stage in life called puberty. It could just be heightened hormones that are making you think things that you never usually think. It'll pass with time."

Solor sighed, wanting desperately to believe in Raven's words. But he knew better. Still, he got up, at least taking ease in the fact that she hadn't flat out told him to do something about it or anything of the like. "Thank you, Raven... you have given me perspective. Perhaps... I am just hitting this... puberty, as you call it." He decided to leave her be, but before he left, he noticed the book, on the nightstand.

It was a simple book. No title, no distinct markings. It was simply white, with only a circle on the front cover. But he knew exactly what it held. He paled considerably, which was impressive with his scales. "Raven... where did you find that book?"

Raven looked to Solor, confused. "I bought it from an antique store. The owner gave me a good deal, seeing as it's just a fairy tale about a dragon named Rorek and a wizard named Malchior."

"Raven, you must give me that book."

Immediately, Raven knew something was wrong. Solor never asked for anything, let alone demanded anything from her. So to see him staring intently at the book sort of frightened her. But she wasn't going to give it up that easily. "Why? Why should I give you that book?"

"I cannot tell you why", Solor replied. "I know, it may not seem fair, but I need to take that book, and hide it somewhere that it will never see the light of day again. You must trust me, Raven."

"... No." Raven got into Solor's face, glaring slightly. "I don't care how strong you are, Solor, you are not going to intimidate me into giving up my book."

Solor frowned, not expecting her to be defiant. "Raven, that book is, as you say, 'bad news'. It is best if it is never opened. Please, trust me."

"No", Raven said again. "Get out of my room, Solor. You ask me to trust you, and yet you don't trust any of us. I'm an empath, remember? How do you expect me to trust you when you won't tell us anything without altering your own words?"

Solor growled slightly. "Oblivion dammit, Raven, I'm trying to protect you!"

"I don't need protection from pieces of paper!"

Solor snarled, and pulled away. "Fine. But know this, Raven... you should not trust the words that book has to say to you." With that, he walked out, snarling more.

Raven glared after Solor, the door closing behind him. She then walked over to the book, picking it up, and beginning to read it.

XxXxX

Solor growled at the sight of Raven. She merely ignored him while making her herbal tea. Over the past week, he had constantly returned to her room, demanding that she give him that book. And every time, she had refused. It was getting to the point that they couldn't even be in the same room anymore without erupting into an argument.

"Man, I thought Raven and I didn't get along", Beast Boy said.

"What's going on between them?" Terra asked, looking slightly annoyed. "First, Solor starts avoiding Starfire like the plague, and now he can't have a civil conversation with Raven. Something smells fishy."

After another failure to retrieve the book, Solor snarled angrily, tearing into his breakfast. He didn't want to fight in front of the team again, but he was angry. If Raven would simply give him the book, then this would be over with, but she was just as stubborn as he was. He needed something to take out his aggression on.

Fortunately, the alarm went off at that very moment.

Solor immediately shot up, going to the computer. He saw two different attackers, and immediately made his decision. "A creature known as Kardiak is attacking one of the parks, while the H.I.V.E. is attacking a local bank. I shall handle them, as I know how to fight them all. This... heart creature is new, and I do not think I will be helpful around the small children."

Robin could read the lies that Solor was laying, but due to the tension between him and Raven, he decided that the best case was to send Solor after the H.I.V.E. "Alright. Solor, capture those three nuisances. The rest of us will handle Kardiak. Titans, GO!"

The two groups split up, with Solor branching out on his own. It didn't take too long; he followed the map on his communicator and found the bank with a large hole in it. He growled, and landed in the hole, glaring inside. "Alright, you H.I.V.E. maggots! I will give you to the count of three to surrender!"

The three looked to each other, then back at Solor. "What should we do?" Mammoth said. "It's just one, but it's the overgrown, fire breathing gecko!"

"One!" Solor growled, flexing his claws.

"We should just go!" Jinx suggested. "We know him, none of us can even hurt him!"

"Two!" His wings flared lightly, smoke coming out of his nose.

Gizmo, on the other hand, looked cocky. "I've got a plan designed just for him! We can take him!"

XxXxX

"What happened to 'we can take him'?" Mammoth growled, finding himself coated in melted metal, which at this point had cooled. His hair was singed, and he was glaring at Gizmo.

"Stuff it, you crud muncher", the midget responded tiredly. His backpack had been utterly destroyed, and he was tied up to his little head in a burlap sack with a dollar sign on it. His goggles had been smashed as well. "What I want to know is why Jinx got the best out of this?!"

The girl of the group glared. "Because I surrendered", she retorted, glaring. "I know when it's a good idea to fight, and when it's a bad one." Gizmo was right, she was let off easy. She wasn't even hurt, and was merely handcuffed to a support beam on the other side of the room. Solor was standing nearby, waiting for the police to arrive and growling slightly to himself. "You certainly sound like you woke up on the right side of the bed."

"Silence", he responded. "You are a criminal, and you lost the battle. Take your loss with your head high."

"I'm not worried about the jail time, big guy. I can handle it", she replied, deciding not to tell him that she already had a plan to break out. "I'm more worried about you. You were merciless. You're never that angry. What's going on at the home front?"

"Why should I tell you?" Solor snarled. "We are not friends. You don't care about me."

"You protected me from an army of robots after I had fun for the first time in months. Or did you forget that time we hung out?", Jinx shot back. "I think I deserve a chance to return the favor."

Solor sighed slowly, realizing her logic. "Fine. I have been... having trust issues with a friend of mine."

"Raven, right?" When Solor shot her a look, she shrugged. "Hey, news coverage has shown that you and her don't exactly work together as much anymore. Anyway, what kind of trust issues?"

"She has... come into possession of a dangerous artifact", Solor admitted. "I told her it was dangerous, and that I needed to take it, but she refuses to trust me on this. She said she does not need protection from it."

"But you know better, and you don't know why she's not believing in you", she concluded. "Well, have you given her doubt before? Said something that makes her think you're not telling her the truth? She's an empath, so if she could sense a lie from you, that might give her reason to doubt you."

Solor frowned, thinking about his cover story. He had said many times that he was part of a tribe in an unknown location, one that he was not allowed to say. He had not told his team the position he held, only that he had been banished for a heinous crime against the leader of the Death Tribe. He told them that his mother died, that his little brother died, and that he was only a young teenager.

So far, in that story, he had told two lies, two half-truths, and one truth. Everything else was a good reason to doubt.

"Thank you, Jinx", he said. "I will... try to lighten your sentence a bit."

"Don't bother", Jinx said, smiling. "Like I said... I'm a big girl. I can handle the time." She saw the flashing lights outside, and motioned for him to go. "Go catch up with your team. If that artifact is as dangerous as you say it is, you might want to get it away from Raven quick."

Solor nodded, taking off as the officers entered the bank, starting to collect their prisoners.

XxXxX

"I'm not creepy. I'm just different." The sound of soft footsteps followed that statement as Raven moved further into her room. "I wish there was someone around here who understood that. Someone I could talk to. Someone... like me."

"There is." A soft gasp, and the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. "Ow."

If Solor had to admit anything, it was that he was more than happy to hear the son of a bitch fall to the ground.

He had arrived at home when Raven was throwing out Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Terra, refusing to play their game of "Stank Ball".

And when he heard that voice, he growled lowly to himself. No doubt, Malchior couldn't hear him; with his body trapped in a book, the fact of the matter was that he didn't have all of his senses and powers working. He wanted nothing more than to storm in there and kill that bastard, but destroying the book could risk in releasing the dragon trapped inside. He couldn't do anything without risking losing the prison.

So he let Malchior speak to her at first. She told him about the day she had, about her powers, and so on and so forth. Then they came to current events.

"Stank ball?" the book asked. "You're joking."

"They wanted me to referee", Raven confirmed.

"Smashing. You must be the luckiest girl in the world", Malchior said dryly. "And this Beast Boy sounds like an absolute genius."

Solor heard a giggle, and had to resist from dropping his jaw. "That's funny. You're funny."

"And you're the best thing that's happened to me in a thousand years", Malchior's smooth voice complimented.

"Then... you don't think I'm creepy?"

Solor raised an eyebrow. Is this what was going on in her head all of the time?

"Certainly not!" Malchior objected. "You are Dark, and Darkness is often misunderstood. But I feel like I understand you."

"I feel that way too."

Solor growled again. This had gone on long enough. He marched over to the door, and knocked. "Raven", he barked through the door.

"Who is that?" he heard Malchior ask.

"That's just Solor, one of my teammates", Raven whispered back, glaring at the door. "He's probably here to steal from me again."

"Steal from you?"

"I would speak with Malchior, Raven!" Solor ordered. "Do not make me use my override code on your door!"

At that, there was silence, then a panicked statement from Malchior. "How does he know I'm here?"

"I... don't know", Raven admitted, and opened the door. "How did you know about him?"

"I wanted that book for a reason, Raven", Solor said, glaring at the pages. "Now... I will expose him for what he is." He approached the book, glaring lightly. "So... Malchior of Nol, is it?"

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Solor of the Titans", Malchior said smoothly, although the dragon knew he was trying to play it cool. Since Solor was in his human form, he didn't know he was speaking to a dragon. "Tell me... how did you know I was here? Are you a user of magic?"

"No. I do not possess magic skills of my own", Solor said, smirking. "But those among my clan know of Malchior... after all, my people taught Rorek that spell."

"Your people...?" Raven asked, shocked. "And... you're not lying..."

Malchior, however, didn't sound too upset by this. "Truly? Then I will admit, your people sound like a bunch of idiots, if you ask me. Why would they give a dragon the curse to put people in books?"

"Yes", said Solor, still smirking. "Why would my people teach a Dark Dragon how to curse people?" When there was silence, Solor grinned in triumph. "I know what you are, Malchior. For there are none in my clan who do not know of the shamed Malchior, the last dragon seen in the mortal realm."

There was silence at first, and Raven moved to object. "Solor, Malchior wasn't the dragon! Rorek was! Malchior stopped him, and the dragon put a curse on him to punish him!"

"And why would a dragon do that?!" Solor said, growling. "Why would a dragon, who has no magic skills, curse a human? Instead of pretending to play dead, then eat him when the human thinks he's safe, why would a dragon use magic?" He turned to Malchior. "You may have fooled Raven, you Dark Traitor, but I know the truth. I will not lie to my friends. Not anymore."

Malchior started to sound a bit more panicked. "Y-You can't! If you tell them, your people will disown you!"

Solor sighed. "That is a risk I am willing to take." He turned to Raven. "Tell me... did you sense a single lie in any statement I have given you? Have I said anything that would make you doubt me?"

Raven didn't want to say it. She didn't want to admit that Solor was right. But she couldn't. She slowly nodded, looking over at Malchior. "Is it true, then? You're the dragon?"

Malchior let out a low growl. "When I get out of here, Solor of the Titans, I will come after you first. I will-" The words were cut off when Solor slammed the book shut. He then walked over to Raven's trunk, opening it and chucking the book inside, slamming the lid.

"Good riddance", Solor growled. He then walked over to Raven's door, closing and locking it. "Now, Raven... I believe I owe you an explanation."

"You sure do", Raven said, glaring. "Why didn't you tell me I was in possession of a book that contained a dragon?"

"I tried to warn you, but you wouldn't listen", Solor admitted. "And while I wish I could say it was your own doing... you are right. I have not been sharing the whole truth with you, or anyone else on the team. And while I do not think I can tell the others... you have helped me. A lot. Therefore, I will share my secret with you."

"Solor, you don't have to -" Raven started.

"I insist", Solor said. "Tell me, Raven... are you not the least bit curious about how I knew about Malchior? About why my people would teach Rorek how to cast that spell?"

Raven pondered this, and eventually nodded. "Yeah, I am curious... but again, you don't have to tell me."

"I know... I want to", Solor said. "Now, sit down. This is a long story."

Raven nodded, sitting down next to him. He slowly collected his own thoughts, deciding to start from the beginning. "I know it will sound odd... but Malchior was not the only dragon in existence."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Your powers... you're definitely not human. I could tell from the minute we met that you were older than all of us, but..."

"I'm seven hundred and forty-nine years old", Solor confirmed. "Not quite as old as Malchior, seeing as being trapped in a book stops the aging process, but I have a few centuries under my belt. And you were right... I am not human."

"So... you're a dragon, then?" Raven asked. "I knew there was a lot of things in this world that would fit in both fantasy and reality, but this... it's kinda hard to believe."

Solor smirked. "I figured that would be. Maybe... instead of telling you... I show you what happened to me." He points to his head. "I'll show you the memory of the leaders' decision to banish me, so you'll know I'm telling the truth."

Raven nods, and gently lays her hands on his head. "Try not to kick me out... that'd be kinda rude."

Solor only smirked, and allowed her to cast her spell, letting her see his memories.

XxXxX

_"Filkiin... you stand accused of High Treason by attacking the leader of the Death Clan", came the strong, low voice. Raven got up, looking around as she realized her surroundings were very different. Instead of her room back in Titan's Tower, she was in what appeared to be a large, hollowed out volcano. It was quite empty, but the walls were lined with perches. And that wasn't the most amazing thing of all._

_Surrounding her were dragons._

_Dragons of all shapes and sizes, looking towards the center with what appeared to be disdain, anger. They were all different colors, and obviously sat alongside their own clans. Red with reds, green with greens, and bronze with bronze. She then followed their gaze, wondering what they were staring at._

_There, in the center, stood a large, bronze dragon. His scales were marred, and some had even been scraped off, exposing soft skin. His left eye was swollen to the point that it was forced shut. But the one eye she could see was a familiar shade of green, and she knew immediately that it was Solor._

_"What say you in your defense?" came the low voice again, and Raven looked up to see a large, yellow eye staring at Solor._

_"Grand Death had insulted my lineage", Solor stated. "My mother was very young when I was hatched. She can last another hundred years, not a mere month, as he decreed."_

_"All life ends, Filkiin", said a large green dragon, looking more like a brontosaurus than a real dragon. Raven assumed that the odd word she said was Solor's true name. "There is a time to fight for the life of another, and a time to let that life go. Such is the balance the Circle seeks to protect."_

_"My mother will not die", said Solor, and Raven could feel his rage growing. "What right do you have to determine when she shall die?"_

_"It is not only our right, it is our duty", said a red dragon, his neck not nearly as long as Life's. Instead, he had a frill around his head, lined with what appeared to be spikes. "Life and Death have been tasked to keep an eye on those being born and those that will die."_

_"If the brood was not weak, Death would not have arrived", said a blue dragon, her entire body coiled up like a snake. "If your mother were not nearing the end of her life, Death would not have said so. He did not say so to insult you, but to warn you."_

_"He laughed", Solor responded. Raven couldn't believe this. A leader of an important faction laughed at the fact someone was going to die?_

_"It is a defense", said another dragon, his body skeletal. His skin was tight against his bones, and his wings looked like they wouldn't be able to catch air. "I watch my broods die well before I am able to. I watch those many years younger than I shrivel up and pass on to the First. If I was saddened by every death I saw, then I would never be able to uphold my duty to this world."_

_"Your 'duty' is meaningless", Solor spat, and Raven could feel his anger starting to reach the boiling point. "Any mortal with a basic concept of biology can understand when one is going to pass on. It takes those with courage to fight to try to keep them alive."_

_"And why, pray tell, should we allow your mother to continue to live?" asked Life once more. "She has grown weak over the years. She can barely fly, she can no longer breathe fire. She is not the best for our people's survival."_

_"Maybe you are not the best for their survival?" questioned Solor, getting many murmurs throughout the volcano. His anger was at the very limit. One more comment, and he would burst. "You would rather sit on your haunches and dictate how others should act and when they should die rather than try to make this world a better place! We could be doing so much more!"_

_"Like what?" scoffed the red dragon. "Murdering the mortals?"_

_Raven gasped at that. Solor wanted to __**kill **__humans? Was that why he was so angry, and so unwilling to join the team? Was that why he got along with Starfire so well, and no one else?_

_"They are a part of the design of the First", the red dragon continued. "Even after five hundred years, you refuse to enter the world of mortals anymore, after we refused your bid for a hunting party."_

_"And a lot of good that did! We lost hundreds of our brothers and sisters to the humans!"_

_"It was a risk they all were willing to take", countered the blue dragon._

_"AND WHY WON'T YOU?!" roared Solor, his anger overflowing. "YOU BIGOTED OLD ONES DO NOTHING!"_

_"__**ENOUGH**__", came the strong voice once more, and everyone was immediately silenced, as all turned to the large yellow eye. "A serious crime has been committed today. Filkiin of the Light has committed treason against the Circle. What is the punishment to be? Fire?"_

_"Put to Death", said the red dragon, now labeled as Fire. "If he goes without being punished severely, others will think that they have a chance to fight the will of the First. It shall be a fitting way to prevent another Dark uprising."_

_"I say we try to work with him", said the blue dragon, whom Raven assumed was Water. "The death of his brother and soon-to-be death of his mother are weighing hard on him. We should help him with his pain."_

_"What say you, Light?" asked Earth. "You have spoken of nothing since this Circle began."_

_Raven followed the eye's gaze, and soon she finally noticed the last member of the Circle. Upon his perch stood a dragon, looking almost exactly like Solor. His size, however, was just a bit larger, and instead of green eyes, he had bright blue ones. She turned, seeing Solor staring at the leader of the light dragons, and upon observing the older dragon, noted that Light seemed to be growing annoyed. Eventually, he broke eye contact, with a low growl."Banishment. If he is willing to act like a Dark dragon, treat him like one."_

_"What say you, Life?" Earth asked._

_"Filkiin should be given the chance to redeem himself," came Life's calm voice. "While he has committed a serious offense, it was done in a moment of blinding anger. I agree with the Grand Light that he should be banished as punishment. Time among the humans he disdains so much may teach him humility."_

_Death was not asked his opinion as it was obvious how he felt: Solor deserved to die for his failed attack. It mattered not that the attack was driven by anger to the old Dragon. An attack on a member of the Circle was an attack on all._

_The other members of the Circle looked hard at Solor as the yellow eye said, "While I feel that Light's Heir should be executed, it would be pointless. We can help Filkiin by banishment instead. _

_"Filkiin, you are hereby found GUILTY of High Treason. The sentence is Indefinite Banishment. You shall live among the humans. You are herewith stripped of your title of Heir to the Light until such time as you prove to be worthy. When you are allowed to return, we will again vote to see if are worthy of the title of Heir of the Light. Grand Light will monitor your progress without interfering and report to us at regular intervals. Filkiin will be given six months from today to prepare for his time with humans and to say his farewell to his mother. However, if there is even so much as one action against any other dragon... he shall be executed without right of appeal or possibility of pardon."_

_The Eye turned to face Light. "Grand Light, you will determine the conditions in which your son shall be allowed to return and what is expected of him and report to us yearly." The Eye, as she called it, looked along the edge of the volcano, and it felt like a strong will was behind it. "Be it known by all Dragons that the sole reason Filkiin is allowed to live is his former standing as Heir to the Light. Should any Dragon, regardless of their type commit Treason against the Circle, the penalty is death. This is the judgment of the Circle. We are adjourned."_

_Solor was beginning to be pulled away, but he resisted as he was forced to leave. "Father! FATHER! You can't DO THIS to ME!" he roared, glaring at the Light. "Death has dishonored your mate! Mother will NOT DIE! FATHER!"_

_Solor's father merely turned his head away, snarling in disgust and disappointment._

XxXxX

The memory faded, and Raven could feel herself reentering her own body. When she opened her eyes, she was startled by what she saw. Solor, for the first time, had tears in his eyes (as far as she knew), and she could feel the pain rolling off of him. "Solor..." she whispered.

"It still hurts", Solor said, picking up his hand and wiping his eyes. "Even after all of this time, it still hurts to think of that day. To see the hate in my father's eyes..."

"He didn't hate you", Raven replied, hugging her friend. "He... he was hurt. I don't know why, but he was angry... but it wasn't at you."

Solor smiled, and hugged her back. "Thank you, Raven... even if it is not true... it is nice to hear such kind words from you." He pulled back, shaking his head a bit. "So... do you believe me?"

"After seeing all of that... how can I not? That was all real, every second. And now I understand so much more about you", Raven said. "But it also brings up so many questions."

"And they will be answered when I bring myself to tell the rest of the team", Solor told her, placing a hand on her head. "Young Raven, what I have told you, shared with you, is not to be easily given away. No one in this world will believe you, not without seeing what we have seen. I ask that you keep this a secret until the day we tell the rest of our friends. I am still being watched, and while I do not like keeping this secret anymore, I must to keep the balance of this world... and to have a chance to return home one day."

"I promise", Raven replied. She then got up. "Come on. Let's find the others. If I'm gonna referee Stank Ball, you're coming with."

At that, Solor paled. "But... my sense of smell is much more sensitive than yours! If I get hit with that, I'll be knocked out immediately!"

"And I'm not suffering through that by myself", Raven replied, smirking as she grabbed Solor's hand, dragging the panicking dragon through the door.


	4. Revelation, Hormone Havoc

Solor looked at his claws, thinking to himself. It had been another month since he stopped Malchior from tricking Raven into releasing the old dragon. And while he had bonded with Raven, it seemed to have effects on the team. Starfire, personally, saw that the two were closer, and while she acted normal, he noticed she couldn't fly as fast during missions. He was beginning to wonder if keeping this secret from the rest of his friends was a bad idea.

So, he decided to face them and tell them the truth.

It seemed like a crock, seeing that he told Raven he wasn't comfortable telling them yet. But he decided it wasn't fair. Why should she alone know his secret when he has been friends with all of them for a while? He took up Terra as his own student! All of them deserved to know at this point!

So, he left his room, pulling out his communicator. "Titans... I request your presence in the living room. I have... something to tell you guys."

"Is everything alright, Solor?" Robin asked, concerned.

"Everything is alright... but I have kept a secret from you all. And... it is time I told you the truth about me. About my history", he admitted. "Everyone should head for the ops center, and I will tell you everything."

It didn't take long for everyone to arrive. Solor stood by the window, looking outward, and waited patiently for everyone. Cyborg ended up taking the longest, but it didn't matter. He kept his back to them as they all got comfortable. Once he was certain they were all seated, he turned, seeing the lineup. Beast Boy and Terra were, of course, seated next to each other on the end to his left. Starfire and Robin were seated on his right, both looking concerned. Raven and Cyborg sat in the center, and Solor could see the support her eyes were betraying. He smiled softly, looking down at himself.

"Tell me, my friends... do I intimidate you? Do I frighten you?" he asked. "Does my appearance unnerve you?"

"Naw, dawg", Cyborg said immediately. "I mean, yeah, a normal person would be afraid. But we know you."

"Cyborg's right", Robin said. "I don't feel afraid being near you, Solor. You're our friend. A fellow Titan."

"Um..." At that, everyone turned to Beast Boy, who's ears had drooped considerably. "Now that you mention it... yeah. You do scare me. But not in the way of fear, or that I think you'll hurt me." Beast Boy looked at his own hands. "Thanks to my shapeshifting into different animals, I feel like... you're a lot stronger than we think. Something... primal is inside of you. And all of my instincts say that if anyone could defend this team, it would be you. You're the alpha in the group."

Solor chuckled, looking to Beast Boy. "My friend... you are correct to fear me." Solor turned to his other friends, who were by now intrigued by what he was going to say. "Breath of fire... scales of diamond... wings of nightmares... tell me, Titans... what do I remind you of?"

Starfire shifted uncomfortably, before speaking up. "I have... read of such a creature in my spare time on this world. Old books, that friend Raven has loaned to me. One books has a quote that is very similar to what you said. When you spoke... it reminded me immediately of the dragon, a mythical creature said to be a common hunting practice of knights back in the medieval period of human history."

Terra shook her head. "Come on, Star. He's not alluding that he's a dragon. He's human, just like all of us. Well, most of us. But besides that, he's mortal! Dragons are supposed to have long lifespans, and Solor's told us he's not an adult yet! He's probably only seventeen!"

Solor let out a low chuckle, and the Titans could hear a bone snap as he began shifting. "Be careful of what you say toward a dragon", Solor said, his snout elongating as his voice deepened. "You may live **to regret it.**" He could see his friends staring in shock as he shifted his form fully. He wasn't at his true height, only the size of a lion or a bull, but he had shifted into a smaller version of his dragon form. Unlike what Raven saw, his scales shone brightly, fully recovered, and he stood with a sense of power and grace. "**So... tell me, Titans... do you fear me?**"

Robin immediately got up, glaring. "Who are you? The real you, not the disguise you put on yourself."

"**I am Filkiin**", Solor replied. "**I am the twentieth child of the Grand Light, seven hundred and ****forty-nine**** years old, and former Heir to the Light. Of my siblings, I am only one of three surviving in today's time. And I... am a Titan first.**" He looked at them all, slowly giving them a sad smile. "**This is my true form. Made smaller, of course, to avoid destroying any part of the tower. I was banished on the day we met, and forced to pick up a disguise for myself so I could hide in plain sight.**"

"Then why have you been using your powers?" Cyborg asked, having also stood up. "Why would you help humans when they're so beneath you? Admit it, Solor, you wanted nothing to do with us when we first met."

"**I admit, yes, that I did not think humans were worth my time**", Solor told them. "**But the day that Kreinyol entered our lives, and brought us together... I realized that my sentence would be lessened if I used my powers to help humans. After all, this was chosen to be my punishment because Grand Life said that time among mortals I hate so much may teach me humility.**" He shook his head, laying it down. "**Not that it matters much, my friends. I was told if I killed a single mortal, I would die for my actions.**"

"Then... even if you decided not to help us, you wouldn't be a threat", Raven spoke up for the first time. "Because you respect your leaders so much, you would have followed any orders to a letter."

"**That is correct**", Solor replied. "**If I am to have any chance to return home, I must keep my word to the Circle.**" He then shot them all a long glare. "**Which means, this must all be kept a secret. If it is discovered I told you all of the existence of dragons, I would never be allowed to return... or worse, executed for treason.**" He shifted back to his half form, sitting in a chair in front of a computer so the others could get a good look at him. "I am still your friend, Titans. My time I spent with you has changed my opinion on humans greatly. And to show that I trust you, I will answer any questions you may have of my history, of my people. And it will be the truth."

For a moment, everyone was silent. What could you ask someone who was apparently hundreds of years old and still not an adult? There was so much they could learn, and so much that could finally be understood about their mysterious member. Finally, Raven beat everyone else to the punch. "How long have dragons existed?" she asked.

"Since the end of the dinosaurs", Solor replied. "You could say that we evolved from them. Our creation came in the form of the Elements themselves, blessing the bodies of ancient creatures and giving them the task of keeping balance in the world."

"The Elements..." Terra said, gasping. "You mean... the same ones that my powers are based off of?"

"Yes", Solor continued, nodding. "The physical elements of Fire, Earth, and Water, and the spiritual elements of Light and Darkness, Life and Death. There are seven clans of dragons, like the seven elements. Only six of them live in my homeland, which is simply called Lair. The seventh, Darkness, has been banished for a failed coup against the leaders, the Circle, and while they no longer act as a part of Lair, they do still count as a clan of their own."

Beast Boy was scratching his head. "Elements? Lair? Dude, I'm still trying to wrap my head around 'Dragons are real'", he said, groaning a bit. "This is a little hard to understand."

"I'm certain you'll grasp the concept at some point", Solor grumbled. "Any other questions?"

Cyborg nodded. "Well, now that we know what you are... what interpretation of dragons comes closest to reality?"

Solor thought about it. "In all honesty, I would have to say Skyrim and World of Warcraft. Those probably are the only ones I know of that actually credit dragons for their strength and wisdom."

"How do dragons hide?" Raven asked. "If there are as many of you as I think there are, it would be difficult for all of you to hide in plain sight, wouldn't it?"

"It would be, if we did not have Lair", Solor said. "Millions of years ago, when our species first was created, the leaders of my people, the Circle, used their powers to create a... how do you say it... pocket dimension for us that has many natural entrances all over the world. It is this Lair that we live in normally."

"What..." came Starfire's voice, though she seemed a little embarrassed. "What is the rule... of choosing someone who is not a dragon as a mate?"

Solor blinked, surprised by the question. It was quite specific, and seemed to come from nowhere. But he sighed, scratching his chin. "Well... a long time ago, humans and dragons did marry one another. But the children that they had together were random and unpredictable. Many subspecies were born because of that. Werewolves, vampires, fairies... many creatures that are only heard of in fairy tales were, at one point, alive." He lowered his hands. "It got to the point that the First Circle made a law... dragons are to be with dragons. No ifs, ands, or buts. If one does fall in love with a human... they would be labeled as a Breed Traitor, and cast out of Lair for the rest of their life."

Starfire's eyes betrayed her hurt, and she looked down, seemingly disappointed.

"That reminds me, though", Solor continued, catching everyone's attention again. "I was wondering how this would be addressed, but now that I have told you guys, I do not have to worry as much. I will be unavailable for a full day in a couple of weeks."

"Really?" Robin asked. "Why is that?"

"Because that will be my hatching day... or birthday, in mortal terms", Solor replied. "I will be reaching the age of seven hundred and fifty. During that day, I cannot be allowed to interact with any of you. I will not be able to use my powers, either."

Beast Boy thought about what that could mean. Soon, he actually came to a logical conclusion. "Does that mean... you'll be turning into an adult?"

Cyborg scoffed. "And why would that be why he can't interact with us?"

Beast Boy paled a bit. "Because a lot of animals, when they become adults... unleash a lot of pheromones to attract a mate. So, if he doesn't interact with us, that means he's trying to protect us from them."

Solor was actually impressed. "Beast Boy is correct. The whole idea is that if I cut off contact from you guys, it will limit how much of my pheromones that you get exposed to. For Beast Boy, Robin, and Cyborg, it shouldn't be a problem, seeing that I'm only supposed to attract females. Raven, Terra, and Starfire, on the other hand..."

"... will be highly affected by them", Robin finished. "So, all we have to do is just not be in the same room as you until you stop producing them at such a heightened rate, right?"

"Exactly."

"And what makes you think that these pheromones will affect us at all?" Terra challenged. "What exactly would they do?"

"Well, for starters, it would increase your sex drive into inhuman proportions", Solor replied flatly, shooting Terra a look that told her to rethink her statement. "And as for them affecting you... I am a dragon. My pheromones need to be strong enough to affect _other dragons_."

Terra blushed a bit, smiling sheepishly. "Point taken..."

"When will this happen?" Raven asked.

"Soon", Solor replied. "I will alert you the day before, so you'll know not to come into contact with me."

With that, Solor stood up. "I am done answering questions for tonight. If any of you want to ask me something later, I will be more than happy to oblige, but I tire of this. I will see you all later." And without waiting to hear from anyone else, he left the room.

The team all looked to each other. "Should we... do something about this?" Cyborg asked.

"We should try to at least make this a bit more comfortable for him", Beast Boy said. "He didn't say anything about it, but I'm guessing he may have a hormonal imbalance as well, if he's ready to mate."

"Since when have you gotten a brain?" Raven commented. "You actually impressed him."

"Well, I know a lot about animals in general", Beast Boy said. "Just because I act like I don't have a brain doesn't mean I don't have one. I'm just not as smart as you or Cyborg when it comes to magic or technology." He then shot Terra a smile. "Besides... having someone you really like with you makes you wanna be a better person, you know?"

Terra blushed slightly, and wrapped an arm around him. "Aw, I really like you, too!"

"Let's focus guys", Robin said. "We should come up with a game plan in case we do get exposed to these pheromones. What could go wrong?"

While the team was conversing about helping their friend, Starfire kept to herself, looking at her hands.

XxXxXxX

It was finally the day. It had taken about two weeks, like he had said, but he felt it creeping onto him as they got closer. Finally, he told Robin that it was time. He would hold onto his communicator, just in case they absolutely needed him, but for the most part, he was no longer allowed to leave his room.

Beast Boy and Cyborg had worked together to make his room more comfortable while he stayed there. They had packed a fridge into his room, filled completely with meat (which had made Beast Boy grimace) so he wouldn't need to leave his room to eat. They also gave him a small personal computer so he could find something to do - what with Netflix and Youtube and stuff of the like, there was plenty Solor could find to entertain himself.

Raven stopped by the night before his birthday, handing over a bunch of books. Many were either history or fantasy, with a few of different genres. She wasn't sure what he enjoyed reading, so she had gathered whatever she could spare.

Even Terra dropped by. She didn't have anything to give but her support, which he was grateful for. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "You should all be fine without me. Just remember what I taught you."

Robin had asked Cyborg if there was any safe place that they could filter out his pheromones. It took some thinking, but Cyborg eventually decided that it was best if they managed to store it for disposal later. "If I can get a good scan, I can tell if there's something wrong with the system, and if we're about to get hit hard by them. In the meantime, the wind will be blowing towards the city, and I'm sure Aqualad would prefer if we don't flood his ocean with dragon pheromones, so it's probably a bad idea if they leave the tower."

The only one who had not spoken to him at all was Starfire. He wasn't sure why, but at the time he couldn't talk to her. He'd speak when it was safe to. He could already feel his hormones going haywire, but he was prepared for that. He found himself thinking of a few dragons that he had found attractive back home, but otherwise he was in complete control of his emotions.

Starfire was also unsure as to why she wasn't talking to Solor. She had spent a lot of time with him before, and it never bothered her. But ever since that night... when she felt his fingers along her skin... the mere thought of it made her shudder slightly. But why would that be? She never had a reaction like that before. They had made direct contact with each other before.

But not like _that_. That was _intimate;_ that was, in a way, _flirtatious_. Had it been anyone else, she wasn't sure she would react the same way. She wasn't even sure she would allow anyone else to have touched her like that. Had it been Robin, or Beast Boy? She didn't have a similar reaction when she imagined one of them doing _that_. She felt... like she was betraying someone, simply by thinking that.

Then there was the question she asked when Solor revealed himself. Why did she feel the need to ask that, of all things? She could have asked about so many other things; their ideals on combat, their governmental system, _anything_. But no, her brain decided she wanted to know what would happen if a dragon fell in love with someone who wasn't one. Why did it hurt so much when he told her he would be banished?

It was like a _rejection_.

But that wouldn't make sense, would it? She never said that she liked him. But what if she did? Was that why her heart aches whenever she sees him? Why it flutters whenever she hears his voice? Has her heart chosen who it wants to be with?

It was in that moment that she decided he needed to know. But she couldn't tell him yet. If she confessed right now, he'd just chalk it up to the pheromones.

"I will tell him tomorrow", she decided. "It may not end well, but I need him to know this."

And thus, the day began like normal. Only instead of seven, there were now only six active Titans.

"Are you sure we can handle this?" Terra asked. "We're down from seven to six, and I'm still not one hundred percent certain that I'm in complete control of my powers."

"Solor trusts you, Terra", Robin replied. "He trusts all of us, if he's willing to share such a huge secret. I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Yeah, and besides, it's only for one day", Beast Boy replied. "What could go wrong?"

"A lot, actually", Raven quipped, earning a glare from the changeling. "But it's a Wednesday. We should be fine; crime doesn't usually pick up until later in the week."

"That doesn't mean we should be relaxing too much, though", Cyborg commented. "Anything can go wrong, and if anyone wants to try anything, the whole city will see we're down a team member for the day."

"Then we just handle it", Robin said. "Just act like normal, and if we do have to go out and someone asks about Solor, we just say he's not feeling well today."

The day went like normal. Cyborg and Beast Boy fought against one another on some stupid game, Raven read her books, Robin was running some case files, and Terra had gone outside to work on her powers.

Starfire, in the meantime, was considering something. She knew Solor preferred to eat alone, spent most of his time alone. Perhaps, even if it was something small, she could bring something for his birthday? She wanted to work on making something for him. Perhaps something he could eat, and enjoy. She decided to employ Cyborg's help, seeing that he did most of the cooking.

"Yeah, Star? What's up?" Cyborg asked when she approached him.

"I... I was wondering... if perhaps we could make Friend Solor a special meal for his day of birth?" She responded. "I know he is not to leave his room... but it would still be bad if we did not do anything for this special occasion, would it not?"

Cyborg blinked a bit, then nodded. "Uh... yeah, it would be." He thought about it. "Maybe... maybe we could throw him a party tomorrow? He said he can't come out of his room until tomorrow, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't celebrate." He put on a grin. "Yeah, let's get some meat cooked for him, and we can start setting up for the party tomorrow."

With that, both Titans entered the kitchen, getting ready to cook for a dragon. "So, what does he like?" Cyborg asked. "He doesn't usually eat with us, so it's hard to tell."

"He is particularly fond of the ribs you make", Starfire commented, smiling a bit. "He has told me that he always looks forward to that... the expression he wears when he talks about them is a joyous one..."

Cyborg smirked. "So, we'll cook ribs... and you can deliver them to your crush's door."

At the word, Star turned to Cyborg, confused. "Crush? I do not want to crush our friend! That would be most mean!"

Cyborg chuckled. "'Crush' just means that you like him, Star. Like, more than a friend."

With that, the Tameranean Princess began flushing, most of her face turning a bright red. "... is it that obvious?" she asked weakly.

"Like the hair on your head", Cyborg commented, getting started on cooking. "But... you both have been distancing yourselves from each other. Any reason why?"

Star sighed. The others had asked this question before, but she never gave them a straight answer. Now, since she knew that they knew her true feelings... she felt that she had to tell him. "Well... after we returned from Tamaran... Solor questioned me about tickling. He said that in all his life, he had never experienced it before. So, I... I allowed him to tickle me."

Cyborg smirked knowingly. "And allowing him to do that made you think of him a different way, right? Instead of just a friend, he now had different emotions tied to him."

"Yes", Starfire admitted. "We have made physical contact before, be it either hugging or sparring or supporting one another... but it was different that time."

Cyborg chuckled a bit, nodding. "Well... you don't have to tell me any more. I can tell from looking at the two of you that you like each other."

"Truly?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Solor told us two weeks ago that dragons cannot love humans. It is forbidden by law."

"Star", Cyborg said, shaking his head, "the heart can't be told who it can or cannot love. No matter what laws are made, people will fall in love with whoever the heart chooses. And it's kind of obvious that Solor's picked you."

The rest of the time they were cooking, Starfire was silent. She thought long and hard about this as the ribs were made, only speaking up whenever Cyborg asked her if she needed more explanation. Well into the day, the full rack of ribs were ready, and Starfire placed them onto a platter for Solor, carrying them down the hall. Once she knew she was close to his door, she had to take a deep breath and calm her rapidly beating heart before finally approaching. She placed the large platter on the ground in front of his door, and knocked gently.

"Who is it?" the dragon asked, knowing he couldn't open the door.

"It is Starfire", she replied, feeling her voice shake a bit. "I know you said not to disturb you today... but I thought it would be nice if I did something for your day of hatching. I am... sorry I have been mistreating you."

There was a long pause, before his voice came through the door. "I... I'm sorry as well... Kreinyol. I have been avoiding you for too long. When this day is over... would you like to spend a day to do the... hanging out?"

Hearing those words had her heart beating so much faster than when she first arrived. Not only had he started calling her "Kreinyol" again, but he was offering to spend time alone with her. She at first nodded mutely, but soon realized that he could not see her, and said with a bright smile, "Of course! I look forward to it!"

"I do too", Solor said, a warm chuckle escaping the door. "Now... I know you wish to keep me company, but I can't have you staying here too long. Beside that, I must open the door to see your gift to me. I could smell it down the hall; that is a rack of Cyborg's ribs, is it not?"

"It is", Star said, a large smile on her face. "I remembered you said you loved the taste of them, and asked friend Cyborg to make them. I will be learning how to cook them as well, in the near future." She placed a hand on the door, smiling gently. "I shall see you tomorrow, friend Solor."

"And I will see you, good Kreinyol." He knocked lightly on the door, in appreciation. He waited a few moments, hearing her walk away. Once he was certain that it was clear, he opened the door, picking up the platter of ribs and taking them inside quickly.

It didn't take too long for the meal to be gone. Licking his fingers, Solor finished off the barbecue sauce, recognizing the brand Cyborg liked to use. He chuckled a bit. "That was fantastic, as always..." He placed the bones all onto his plate, making sure there wasn't a stray anywhere. "It was very nice of Kreinyol to bring that for me. I will have to thank her later."

_"Kreinyol?" _came a sarcastic voice. He turned quickly, looking around. _"It's been quite a while since you called her that, hasn't it?"_

"What of it?" he asked. "I gave her that nickname a long time ago. Is it not honorable for dragons to give names to their close mortal friends?"

_"It is... for the Circle"_, came the voice of doubting. _"Why does she deserve this honor? She has not earned a spot among those honored by your father and the others."_

"She is my friend", Solor growled out. "She deserves the honor for... for showing me a kindness no one has ever given me."

_"Not even Iilahkun?" _ The name made him pause. _"Ever since she has passed, you vowed to never honor the traditions of the Circle. Is this why you give her this name? To spite them?"_

"No!" Solor growled out. "No one could ever take her place, but I know I must return to mourn her!" He grumbled a bit, sitting on his bed. "Once my sentence is served, and I return home, I will mourn her, and then sign up to be a soldier. I refuse the Heir to the Light title."

_"Is that truly what you wish?" _the voice said. He could practically see his own inner thoughts, sitting there and whispering to him, letting him know his own doubts. _"Surely, you could have mourned her by now. You could have sung your song, and been done with it. You do not need to be near the grave."_

"I have been to the top of the tower", he said. "I have sung my heart out. I have sung until I could not bear the emotions anymore. What more could I do? What do I need to be rid of this sorrow?"

_"Someone to share those emotions with", _the inner Solor said, smirking as he observed his own claws. _"You wish to find a mate. It is the day of hatching, in case you forgot. It is time for you to seek a mate."_

"I will seek a mate when I return to Lair. Not that I will spend much time with them." He sighed a bit. "I will sign up for an infiltrator mission. I will spend decades living among mortals then."

_"Before this all started, you despised mortals. They weren't worth being the dirt under your claws. What has changed that? Perhaps..."_

Solor immediately realized where this train of thought was heading, and quickly attempted to stifle it. "No."

_"A potential mate?"_

"Stop it."

_"But that would be impossible."_

"You're taking this way too far!"

_"You haven't met a single dragon besides Malchior."_

"You're not insinuating..."

_"That you're in love with Kreinyol?"_

There was a shocking silence, as Solor felt his hands fall to his sides. He didn't - couldn't - look at anything. "I... I can't be..."

_"Dragon's hearts chooses their mate... sometimes long before they realize it." _The inner Solor sighed gently. _"As much as I hate to say it... you are a Breed Traitor. Until Kreinyol dies... you can never claim a mate."_

Solor thought about this long and hard. "But... but why?" He shook his head gently. "Why her?"

_"She showed you kindness."_

"So did my mother. I did not pick her as a mate."

_"She is strong."_

"So are many of the villains we face."

_"She is courageous."_

"So is Raven."

_"She... is beautiful."_

Solor wanted to deny that as well, but could not make the words form in his mouth. He remembered the day that he had first thought that, and could not remember a time in the past few months that he hadn't thought about that day.

_"Say what you wish, Filkiin. You know, in your heart, you have fallen for the Princess of Tameran. You now have a choice. You can either confess to her... or try to keep it hidden until after she passes. Either way, you cannot claim a mate for another seventy years or so. And then, you would have to beg forgiveness from your father if you ever wish to return to Lair." _The inner personification of his thoughts let out a low chuckle. _"And I'd think about this quickly... thinking about your potential mate has heightened your pheromone production."_

"Wait, what?" Solor quickly checked his communicator, using the function to see how much the machine had stored up. To his shock, the machine was at 77% and rising. "Uh... well, crap." He contacted Cyborg quickly. "Cyborg, you have twenty seconds to get to the storage unit and filter it out!"

"What, already?!" Cyborg replied, his voice panicked. "I'm on the other side of the tower, man, I can't get to it in time!"

"Then, you have to get the girls in their rooms and lock them down", Solor ordered. "I'm going to escape the tower to prevent more of them getting to the girls, but it's going to release them all into the tower at this rate." He opened a window, flaring his wings and jumping outside. "I shall return tomorrow... and I am sorry."

As he took off, he could hear the siren, letting the others know that the machine was about to explode, before a loud 'BANG' rang out, silencing the siren and no doubt releasing all of those stored pheromones.

Inside the tower, Beast Boy was the first to recover. He sniffed the air a bit, and blanched. "Ugh! Dude, that smells nasty!"

Terra was sitting next to him, her head lowered, and her hair covering her face. Quickly, Beast Boy realized what it was he was smelling, and got up quickly. "H-Hey, Terra... maybe we should... get you back to your room...?"

"Beast Boy... do me a favor..." she said slowly, turning her head. When her hair moved enough that she made eye contact, he could see a primal hunger in her expression. "... and hold still for a minute..."

Now, Beast Boy was not a clever guy, but even he knew that listening to her right now was a _really bad_ idea. So, instead of complying, he quickly morphed into a hummingbird, flying out of the room as quickly as he could. She let out a low growl before taking off after him. "GET BACK HERE!"

Raven, on the other hand, was safely in her room. She figured something like this would happen, and right now a civil war was breaking out in Nevermore. She was focusing everything on keeping in control, but unfortunately, she couldn't keep her powers from lashing out. So, she was staying in her room, trying to limit the damage to only there. As long as she didn't hurt anyone, she'd get out of this alright. But, to make sure, she had the door locked so no one could disturb her.

Cyborg and Robin had been panicking for a while. "What do we do? We need to get rid of these somehow", Robin exclaimed.

"Give me a minute", Cyborg said, reading the weather patterns. He let out a big grin. "Booyah! The wind's blowing away from the city now! We can let them out and they'll dissipate above the open waters, away from any cities!"

"Do it!" Robin ordered. Quickly punching in the command, the vents began sucking the air out, effectively removing the pheromones from the building. After a couple minutes, the vents beeped and stopped, confirming the removal.

"Well, that gets rid of one problem", Cyborg stated, sighing. "But what about the girls? They got a good whiff of them."

"Raven's in her room, and I could hear Terra scream from the other side of the tower. We just need to get her into her room, and we should be safe", Robin said.

"Yeah... but what about Star?"

Robin blanched at that, quickly looking at his communicator. Activating the map, he paled considerably, seeing her location was away from the tower... and catching up to a certain target at a breakneck pace.

"... that can't be good..."


	5. Facing the Problem

It didn't take long for Solor to know that he was being tailed. He knew Starfire anywhere, and had quickly spotted her when he took a glance back towards the tower. He frowned, realizing she probably got a large whiff of the explosion.

"This is not good..." he grumbled. "She's been hit hard... but why is she chasing me?" He looked to the desert area near the edge of town, where he had been told Terra met the group for the first time. "Barely any life out there... it should be safe there." He banked a hard right, heading to the desert. He knew without a doubt the Tamaranean was right behind him. Once they were both on the sand, he turned to face her.

She was trying to stand tall and proud, but he could see the way that this was affecting her. Her knees were shaking, her hands twitching a bit. Her hair was covering her face right now, as she angled her head so he couldn't see her eyes.

"Krein..." he whispered. "You should not have followed me... you're being exposed to more pheromones just by being in my vicinity", he told her. "Go back to the tower, Kreinyol. It will pass with time."

"I... do not want it to..." she replied to him, her voice shaky.

"You do not?" he asked. "Why? I am causing you torment with this."

"When... I am with you..." she started, beginning to take steps forward. "... I feel... so..."

"Back!" he barked, forcing her to stop. "Kreinyol, this is dangerous! You must not come closer!"

"But why not?" she asked softly. "Why must I stay away? Why must I be shoved aside?!"

"Shoved aside...?" Her words confused him. "What madness do you speak?"

"I see how you interact with Friend Raven..." she said, a low growl gracing her lips. "How you got so close to her... how long did she know about you?"

For a moment, Solor was silent. He didn't want to say anything about it... but she was irrational right now. It was a risk, whether he told her the truth or not. "... shortly after the Kardiac construct attacked." He sighed. "She had a book holding a prisoner of my kind in her possession. I had to open up to convince her to let me take the book... I could not allow her to free him."

"So you gave up your secret to her, first..." Starfire continued, still not looking him in the eye. Half of her face was still cowled by her hair. "You care so little for me? You do not think of us as friends?"

"Of course I do!" Solor told her. Her voice was starting to scare him. "I care so much for you, Krein... I wanted to tell you, I truly did... but it was not my secret to share. I only gave it up because that prisoner could not go free."

"You... care for me...?" she asked.

"I do!" he told her. "You are my best friend, Kreinyol!"

"Then..." Finally her head lifted up and he could see the look in her eyes, and he felt his blood chill. Her eyes told him exactly what he was afraid of, that she was being affected deeply by his pheromones. Her face was flush, she was sweating in a way he hadn't seen from her before, and she was staring at him with a hunger he knew all too well. "Then... can you help... me...?"

"What you want help with, I want nothing to do with", he told her flat out. "I want to help you, but I can not do so that way."

"Solor", she whispered, starting to walk to him again. "When I am with you... I feel so warm... so full of life... so happy..."

"That is the pheromones talking", he told her. He backed away with every step she took towards him. "You must go home."

"But you are not there", she told him. "Why would I be there when you are here, in front of me? Why should I leave you behind?"

"Because the longer you stay here, the more you'll be driven by my pheromones", he told her. "If you stay longer you may... try to do something you will regret." He looked along her body, his nostril's flaring. "I can smell it. You have been... forced into heat by me. I cannot allow this conversation to continue."

"As if you can stop me..." she said slowly, growling. "I am just as strong as you are... I can... _take_... what I want..."

The way she emphasized the word _take _was what made him so afraid. But he knew that Cyborg, Robin, and Beast Boy would be here to help capture her, and bring her back to the tower. Unfortunately, they weren't strong enough to hold her back.

He needed to fight her and wear her down... and losing was _not _an option.

He crouched into his battle stance, his claws extending. "Then come... and take it, if you think you can."

Starfire let out a loud roar, charging forward with her eyes glowing a bright green. She swung out with her left hand, attempting to punch him, but he blocked easily, using his right forearm to deflect the blow as he focused on defense. Normally in their spars, he was on the offensive, and she would play the defensive role.

However, he knew he could handle this. He was keeping a cool head, and as long as he kept calm, he would be fine. He just needed her to wear herself out, and then she'd be easy to capture.

Starfire's thoughts, meanwhile, weren't rational. All she could think about was taking what she wanted, and the fact that her _prize _was so close in front of her.

She swung out again, attempting to hit his left side now, but the same results halted her progress. She jabbed, punched, and even kicked, trying to force him to make a mistake, but Solor was a powerful fighter. Even if his arms couldn't block all of her attacks, he was able to use his tail as well, which did help with the ones he had trouble with.

Slowly, Starfire got frustrated, in more ways than one. Why was Solor resisting? Why wasn't he willing to help her? Was he truly her friend? Had he been lying to her? Then why had that touch been so intimate?

She let out a low growl. "Solor, why do you resist?" she asked him as they clashed.

"What madness do you speak?" Solor asked, shoving her off of him. "Were you in my position, you, too, would resist!"

Starfire, however, decided to try a new tactic. "I mean why do you resist your own infatuation to me." He stiffened a bit at that, but she pressed on, taking a few steps closer to him. "You were close to me, Solor... much closer than any of the other Titans. Was it truly only friendship? Or did you show me kindness for... ulterior motives?"

Solor could feel himself sweating a bit. But he narrowed his gaze and stood in a more aggressive stance. "Choose your words carefully, Starfire..."

"Surely you know what your own heart is feeling", she continued, as if he had said nothing. "That night... your touch was so... _intimate_", she said, holding her hand out to him. "I know you... said that humans... are not worth your time... but what of my people? Surely... _I _am a suitable mate... am I not?"

Solor stared at her, hardly believing her words. Was this what his pheromones were doing to her? Or did she truly fall for him? Was this a mix of both? He saw her in a new light; she would never have said these things before, if she hadn't been under the influence.

Suddenly, his heart stopped aching. His desire to hold back had vanished, and he could only stare at her, as he realized, mentally... she wasn't strong enough. His worried gaze turned into one of sheer determination. And he realized he had been too gentle with her before; he needed to right this wrong.

"You are, Starfire", he told her. "You are, indeed, a potential mate for me. But... not for the reason you think." He sighed, looking at his claws for a moment. "My people - no, my _species_ value strength above all else. Physical, mental, and some value the emotional strength that some can achieve. You must be determined enough to take what you desire when you have found a potential mate." He glanced back at her, getting into an aggressive stance. "Therefore, Starfire... come and fight me. If you win... I will be yours."

He knew it was probably a bad idea to goad her on, but in the long run, he knew as well this would help him. Once the pheromones wore off, she would be thinking rationally again, and he'd be able to have a civil conversation with her and let her down easy. But for now...

He needed to wear down a Tamaranian woman being driven insane by lust.

She charged immediately, aiming a punch for his face, but he caught it, and with a viciousness he had been holding back earlier, flung her into a canyon wall. He knew she was tough and could take it, but he could not afford to hold back this time. He immediately flapped his wings, lifting into the air and shooting after her, hitting her hard in the gut. He struck rapidly, driving his fist into her abdomen repeatedly and causing her to let out a breathless scream of pain as all of the wind was knocked out of her.

"I'm sorry", he said to her. "But I cannot afford to not be the strongest in this battle. I cannot afford mercy."

"B-But", she gasped out. "S-Solor-" Her words were interrupted when he struck her in the gut again, leaving her hunched over on the ground, gasping for air.

As she fell to her knees, Solor pulled his communicator out, calling Robin. "I have located and subdued Starfire. She is with me in the canyon that you found Terra in."

"Is she alright?" Robin asked.

"... I had to fight her", he told his leader. "I apologize, but it would be best if you take her to the med bay. I may have caused some internal bleeding in our fight. I could not afford to hold back."

Robin obviously didn't look happy with that response, but nodded. "... got it. Cyborg and Beast Boy have already left to get her. They should be at your location soon." With that the communicator went dark, and he sighed, putting it away.

He looked down at Starfire, who had collapsed onto her side. "You'll be home, safe and sound, in just a moment, Star... I am sorry for what I had to do." However, when she didn't respond to his words, he moved closer. "...Starfire?"

When he saw her chest wasn't moving, he began to panic.

Quickly, he rolled her onto her back, leaning close with his ear to her lips. He could not hear her breathing, nor could he see her chest rising. Fortunately, he did know CPR, but it was troubling that he had hit her so much she was unable to breathe while unconscious. He retracted his claws, sticking his fingers in her mouth to clear the airway, before he placed his lips on hers. "Don't you dare die on me", he said in his panic, pushing his own breath into her body. After a few breaths, he placed his hands on her chest, pumping her lungs. "Breathe... breathe, dammit!"

After a minute of repeating this process, she was able to finally cough out his breath, taking a big lungful of air for herself. She was still too weak to fight back, but she was alive. He sighed as he wiped his brow. "You scared the crap out of me..."

"Solor..." she whispered, reaching up. "Kos dii... lig..."(1)

His eyes went wide, staring at her. How did she learn his language? He shook his head, speaking back to her. "Laag nu. Un zeymahzin fen kos het wah kuz hi hofkiin das."(2)

Just as the sentence was uttered, Beast Boy and Cyborg arrived, with Cyborg being carried in the green pteranodon's talons. He scooped up his red-haired friend, before looking back at Solor. "I'll run some scans back home... I hope you roughed her up for a good reason."

"I had no choice", Solor told Cyborg. "If I held back, I would not have been able to stop her. Please... question me tomorrow, when it is safe for me to return."

Starfire reached weakly for the dragon, but was pulled away, taken back to the tower. Solor watched morosely, before sitting down and starting to wait. "I should be fine for a day", he said silently to himself. "... I can only hope I'm still allowed in after today..."

XxXxXxX

"Starfire?" he asked. The day had passed, and when he returned to the tower, Robin had told him that Starfire had confined herself to her room. Terra apologized profusely to Beast Boy, who forgave her immediately. Cyborg, meanwhile, was more upset that he had to spend the rest of his day cleaning out the stray pheromones, making sure that they couldn't spread any further.

Raven, the least affected, approached the dragon, a faint blush on her face. According to her, her emotions tried many tricks to make her lose control... including visions of her and him in a slightly provocative manner. "I apologize", he told her, bowing his head. "I... the pheromones-"

"Forget about it", she told him. "Sometimes our bodies do things we can't control. I don't blame you." She placed her hood up, turning away. "But I better get a good Christmas present this year."

All these events led to now, where Solor was standing outside of Starfire's room, calling to the inside. "May I speak to you? I know yesterday was... stressful." He sighed when he got no response, and sat down next to the wall. "Starfire... I'm sorry if I led you to believe that I... thought of you more than a friend. In truth... I was not aware of how I felt for you. There was a time... when perhaps I would have accepted you as my mate. But yesterday... I realize I have been giving you signals, and in your state yesterday... you were a slave to your own desires. I could not take you then, because it would have been wrong and immoral... and I don't think I can take you as my mate."

He turned to the door. "I care for you, Starfire... I care for you so much. In this world that I was forced into, only you gave me the comfort of not being alone. You are truly my best friend... and I do not wish to lose that." His head fell downward into his hands. "I'm sorry, for hurting you... I'm so sorry..."

That was when the door opened at last, and he felt a pair of arms around his shoulders. "It is alright", came the soft, morose voice of Starfire. "I forgive you... but if you will not take me... who could I choose to be mine?"

Solor turned his head to her, giving her a reassuring smile. "Well... I believe Robin has shown some interest in you. I would recommend you try to get closer to him."

"Are you certain?" she asked, looking at him. "I will admit... I felt very strongly for you. And I am sorry that you cannot see us be together. But Robin has shown little interest for much besides crime-fighting."

"Well, I believe you can help him with that", he told her. "We can still be friends, Starfire. But Robin probably needs you by his side more than I do."

She sniffled a bit, and Solor could see that she had been crying. "If that is what you wish... you are my best friend, too. So, I will not pursue a relationship with you. But I do need some time to recover before I see if Robin has any interest for myself."

"Take the time you need", Solor told her. He moved to get up, allowing her to go back inside. "I will see you later, Starfire."

She nodded silently, closing the door. Solor then turned and walked away, glad that this problem had ended.

If only, though, he knew how much trouble he would be

XxXxXxX

**(1) **Be mine... please...

**(2)** Sleep now. Our companions will be here to take you home soon.


	6. Harvest

**This part of my story might be slightly disturbing. I apologize if you are squeamish towards depictions of inhumane treatment of one who cannot move or fight back. For full effect, I'll write down where you should start playing the song "The Sound of Silence", preferably the version by Disturbed, or any other somber song you think will fit there.**

XxXxXxX

Months had passed since Solor's birthday. The rest of the team, true to their word, did throw him a party, like Starfire said they should. He did not expect it, and he didn't want to be there, either, but he did appreciate what they all did for him. So, he bit his tongue and participated in the party.

A new villain, named Brother Blood, had also risen in power. He had taken over the H.I.V.E. Academy after the former Headmistress vanished mysteriously, possibly in a play for power, and was revealed to have the ability to manipulate others mentally. Cyborg, in a mission to infiltrate the academy, had proven that he was unable to be controlled, thanks to his brain being half-computer, and became one of the very few who could face the villain. Currently, Brother Blood was still at large, and currently had been foiled at another attempt to put the city under his control via an amplified Sonic Cannon built under the ocean.

Other missions included during this period of time included discovering the Red X suit had been stolen, an attempt to brainwash America into thinking that the American Revolution had never happened, and that it belonged to self-proclaimed King Moddy the First, and finally the introduction of the Titans' new pet, named Silkie. However, all of these events paled to what was going to happen next.

The alarm went off as the sun was setting on the Eastern coast, giving the Titans a couple more hours of daylight before their day would end as well. However, the villain that appeared on screen made everyone glare (and elicit a few growls) as the man on screen gave a one-eyed smirk.

"Hello, Titans... did you miss me?"

"Slade", Robin snarled. "What is it you want?"

"I'm touched you still care about me, Robin", Slade said. "Honestly, I am. But I have a message for Solor, and Solor alone."

"And why should I listen?" he asked, glaring. "Everything you say is a lie or a trick. Why should I hear what you have to say?"

"Hi fend gir, dahik lahney rivun nau nii." The words made him stop and stare, and Slade's one eye narrowed, as he knew he got the Light dragon's attention. The rest of the team was forced to watch, puzzled by what Slade said. "Pruzah. Zu'u lost ahvus zun suleyk naal Xinothium ko hiim ko bromuv kes do daar nor. Hi fen bo ahrk luft zey, uv Zu'u fen al daar hiim."

"...vir dreh hi tinvaak dovahzul?" Solor asked him.

Slade only said three words, but the words had his eyes widen even more, before he roared when the screen cut off.

"Vulom evenaar kun."

As soon as the screen faded, Solor roared in rage, his eyes glowing a dangerous green. "I must go", he told the team. "Slade is holding a city hostage with Xinothium bombs. I must face him."

"It's a trap", Robin countered. "He's playing on your desire to protect and force you to fight him. He definitely has something up his sleeve."

"I know for a fact he does", Solor responded, "but I have no choice. He has allied himself with enemies of my people, and I have to take him down."

"Darkness extinguish Light", came Starfire's voice, and everyone turned to her. "That's what those three words mean, the last three he said before cutting communication. What is the importance of these words?"

"They are the war cry of the Darkness Clan", Solor told the team. "This clan was banished over a million years ago, and has been at war with us ever since. If Slade has allied himself with them, he will gain much more power than we can imagine."

"Then let us go with you", Raven said. "If he has joined them, they might be waiting for you to walk right into their clutches."

"We can't risk the bombs, though", Beast Boy stated. "If Slade sees Solor isn't alone, it's just a push of a button before we see a huge crater where a city used to be."

Solor nodded. "That is why I must go alone. If Slade truly wishes to fight me, then I will take him on my own."

Robin sighed, knowing nothing would change the dragon's mind. "Then promise us you'll be back within a week. If not, we'll be tracking your communicator, and we will bring you home, Slade be damned."

Solor nodded, smiling softly. "I promise. I will return as soon as my mission is complete."

He shook the hands of the boys, and got a hug from Starfire and Terra, before turning to Raven. She surprised him by floating up and also giving him a gentle hug. "Be careful", she said.

With no other words to say, he took off, flying towards the north-east, unaware of what fate had in store for him.

XxXxXxX

It had taken only a few hours, but Solor soon arrived at his location. He had received coordinates in the Dragon language, and followed them to a warehouse, knowing that Slade had sent them. He stepped inside, the scent of dust and mold entering his nostrils. "Slade!" he yelled out. "I am here! Show yourself!"

The armored man stepped forward, appearing from the shadows. "There you are... Filkiin", he said, his eye narrowing. Solor's expression changed as his eyes widened, staring in shock. "I know a lot more about you this time, Starborn. I know you were selected to be the Heir of Light in your clan. And you were banished because of your unruly rage."

"You will tell me where you got this information", Solor said. "Or I will tear you apart."

"As you wish, since you came all this way", Slade said, forcing the dragon to narrow his eyes. "The Darkness is plentiful, Starborn. No matter how bright the light surrounding you can be... there will always be that one spec of darkness that your eyes cannot perceive... or simply choose to ignore. And no doubt, you have no idea the kind of Darkness that has been hanging around you."

"Name this Darkness dragon that aids you", Solor commands. "I will face them in battle."

"Her name is Vilea", Slade offered. "One of the highest commanding officer's in the Traitor's clan, as you would call him."

Solor was going to ask more, but something was hitting him as odd. Red flags were going up in his head, and he knew the mastermind was planning something. "... why are you telling me this?" he asked. "Why would you share all of this information?"

Slade grinned behind his mask, his eye narrowing even more. "Because... Heir to the Light... what made you think you'd be getting out of here?"

At that moment, Solor saw a shadow move from behind him, and he turned to face the danger, only to feel something slap around his neck. He couldn't even utter a sound of shock as he crumpled to the ground. All of the strength he had before was suddenly gone, and no matter how hard he tried, he could no longer move. He was on his back, forced to stare upward, as a woman with black scales stared down at him, grinning evilly.

**(Sound of Silence Begin)**

"I must thank you, Mr. Wilson", she said, her voice dripping with venom as she stared at the bronze dragon. "Collecting this child of the Light was much easier with your distraction."

"My pleasure, Miss Vilea", Slade said. "You remember our agreement, though, correct?"

"Of course", she said to the human. "Once I have taken what I want, I will leave him to be yours, and you can reprogram him as you see fit." She leaned down towards Solor, glaring at him. "Hello, Light Mosquito." If he could snarl back, he would, but he still couldn't move. "Don't even try to move. That collar that I've placed on you keeps you inhibited entirely. Besides basic functions of breathing, you'll be unable to move at all. But here's the fun part... no matter how much you can't move... I know for a fact you can still feel." She lifted him up, allowing him to move upward, and he discovered, to his dismay, he could indeed still feel. Her clawed hands against his arm and side disgusted him, and he wished terribly that he could pull away.

"This is going to be fun", she whispered to him, and if he could, he would have shuddered at the feel of her breath against his ear, and he would have had very choice words for her. She carried him deeper into the warehouse, until they were in a room with what looked like a doctor's chair. She laid him down on it, and using some very thick restraints, kept his body in place, so that he wouldn't slide off or anything of the sort. His wings were spread out, and his tail was also held in place, rendering him completely unable to move, even if he wasn't wearing that collar.

"Ready for the fun?" she told him, even though she knew he couldn't respond. She brought forward a tray, which held various bottles and bags, labeled accordingly. From what he could see, since his eyes were the only things he could barely move, they were labeled with specific words, written in the Dragon Language, but he could read them, and the words filled him with dread.

_Blood... marrow... scales... hair... Oh, First... she can't be..._

"We Dark dragons are strong", she said to him. "We have our unique abilities that none of the other clans have, true... but we also have glaring weaknesses." She scraped a claw along her scales, causing a few sparks. "Like our brothers and sisters in Lair, we have scales as strong as diamonds, and claws that, with enough force, can pierce that diamond defense. Our abilities to see into the hearts of those around us and use that to our advantage gives us an edge that we desperately needed in this war. But... you Light dragons are our antithesis." She reached forward, scraping along his scales, forcing a couple of them to bend out of place, and Solor mentally growled at the pain. "Your ability to use Light against us is our weakness. Your sense of justice gives you the determination to persevere, even in the face of our Great Leader... so I wonder... what could a hybrid of our clans gain from having a Dark mother and a Light father?"

At that, she took a hold of the scales, pulling them away and exposing his flesh. He couldn't verbally respond, but his mental screams of anger and pain were deafening. "So, I am going to harvest what I need from you, little Light Mosquito", she told him. "I will rip you apart, see what makes you tick, take what I need, and put you back together in the most painful way I can. And don't worry about dying... once I am done with your body, Slade needs you to do some... errands for him. And I will enjoy seeing the great Heir to the Light being twisted into the strongest villain this world has ever seen." She let out a maniacal giggle, as she stared into his eyes. "And to think... I would never be able to test my theory if you had never been banished... how deliciously ironic. The actions of the Grand Light's son... leads to the downfall of Lair."

She pulled more scales from his body, leaving his flesh exposed as he mentally roared at her, cursing her name and swearing that when he was free, she would be the first to die. But, of course she couldn't hear him. Soon, there was a large patch of unprotected flesh exposed on his stomach, and she lightly dragged her claws along his belly. To his horror, his belly shuddered with rapid breaths, and his lips involuntarily curved upward into a smile.

"Oho... it seems that the big, strong Light dragon is ticklish", Vilea cooed. Solor decided that he couldn't decide what he hated more... her taunting, or the fact that she was enjoying his torment way too much. "Well, enjoy it while you can, mosquito. That is the only time you'll be able to laugh for the next week." She curled her fingers, ripping into his flesh and allowing his red blood to dribble down his abdomen. She then took the bottle labeled as "blood" and pressed down into his stomach below the wound, and the crimson fluid slowly filled it up. It was a bout a pint in size, so he sat there in agony as she waited patiently for his blood to pour into it. And whenever the wound would start to slow in bleeding, she would simply prick him again, hastening the flow from him. Finally, the bottle was full, and she pulled it away, capping it and placing it back down on the tray.

Then, she pulled a long needle from the tray as well, and he cursed himself, wondering how he hadn't noticed it before. She began the process of ripping his scales again, this time from his arm, and already he was screaming in his head. But the true pain came when she pierced his arm. She didn't just stop at his arm for more blood; she made sure the needle broke into his bone, and began draining his marrow. The process was extremely painful, and Solor was screaming in his head, unable to do anything but. After a while, she filled the first vial. "I know you recover quickly, so that's enough of that for now. I need you to be able to survive the rest of this."

Solor snarled in his prison. _When I get out of here, Dark wench, I will slaughter you and Slade! There will be nothing left for the First himself to salvage!_

However, his threats went unnoticed, and he was forced to watch as she scraped other samples from him. She took a good chunk of his hair, and every scale she pulled away was scraped into a baggie. She also managed to roll him over at one point, stabbing into the base of his wings with a syringe and taking spinal fluid as well. Anything and everything she could get her hands on, she did. She even forced his mouth open, letting him drool into another cup. Finally, it seemed to end, but there was one bottle left.

"There... we got all of the painful things out of the way", she said to him, smirking. "Now for the fun part." She turned the bottle, so he could see the label, and if he had any control, he knew his face would pale. However, all he could do was try to think of something, anything, other than what was going to happen.

_First... please, save me... _he silently begged. _Starfire, Robin, Beast Boy, Terra, Cyborg... Raven... help me..._

Nobody came.

XxXxXxX

The process was the same over the past week. Every day, Vilea would spend a good hour or so on Solor's prone body. She collected more and more samples from him, and each day, his mental will was fading. His silent threats became weaker, and soon, he could do nothing but beg for some release from this torment, this never ending nightmare. Finally, after his last "session" with the dark dragoness, she cleaned up her mess as well as she could (or at least, made him look more decent), before turning to the door. "I am finished with our guest. He is all yours by tomorrow."

"That wasn't the deal", Slade said, the frown evident in his tone. "Once you were done with his body, you would tell me how to reprogram him and let me take him for my own."

"I would normally, but his body needs time to recover", she told the masked villain. "After all that I put him through, his mental defenses are practically non-existent. He's so lost in his own head, even if he were to suddenly break free, he'd be too lost and confused to even remember who he was." She walked past Slade, a familiar looking rip in reality appearing before her. "I will return tomorrow and hand over his reins. Keep him alive until then."

"Of course", Slade said. He turned to the bronze dragon, gazing at him for a moment, before turning and walking away.

She was right. Solor was so broken at this point, the only thing he could do was beg mentally, unknowingly pushing past the boundaries that he had. His prayers did reach the ears of someone who could help, though, and finally, he was going to receive the help he needed.

Raven floated through a wall, the portal fading behind her as she made sure no one was here, before approaching the bronze form. "By Azar..." she whispered, looking at his broken form with shock in her eyes. "What did he do to you...?"

She touched an earpiece she was wearing. "Raven to Robin. I've located Solor... he looks like he went through hell."

"Good job", said Robin. "Bring him back here, and we'll get him home safe and sound."

"What about Slade?" she asked. "No doubt he's still here, and he won't be too happy about us stealing Solor."

"Forget about him for now. Our teammate is top priority at the moment."

_Raven? _came the voice. She turned to stare at Solor, and while he wasn't moving, she could feel his presence in her own mind. _Raven, is that you? Oh thank the First... salvation has come at last._

"Solor, it's me", she replied. "What happened? Why didn't you call in or anything?"

_It was a ruse_, he told her. _It was all a ploy to render me helpless. Slade is still here, correct?_

"I can sense him, yes", she told him. "He's still in the building."

His thoughts became dark, and full of rage. _Remove this collar from my neck. Let me be free... and I will rid the world of him._

His words shocked her; despite everything that had happened to him, he had never desired to kill a human before, putting his leaders' commands before his own desire. What had Slade done to make him change his mind? "I can't Solor. I can't let you do that."

_You must! _He hissed mentally. _Release me! It is because of him that I am like this! Let me be free, and I will end his manipulative, criminal ways once and for all!_

"What's going on Raven?" Robin asked.

"I've connected to Solor mentally", she told him. "He has a collar on him that's keeping him from being able to move his body, but his mind is still in tact, somehow. He... wants me to remove it so he can kill Slade."

"We can't let him do that", Robin objected. "Slade may be a sadistic psycopath, but he's still got to face a jury."

_And give him the chance to escape? _Solor snarled. _You humans and your judicial systems... if he has committed crimes against humans in his spare time, what he has done to me is a horrendous, inhumane act of war on my species! I demand justice!_

"Solor, this isn't justice, it's vengeance", she told him.

_I DON'T CARE! _she heard, his voice cracking with sobs. _Please... please... let me go... I can never take back what he has done to me... but I can make him pay for it!_

Raven was in quite the moral dilemma. On the one hand, they were supposed to be heroes, and stood for a strong line between vigilantism and actual justice. On the other... Solor was in pain. And as much as she wanted to listen to Robin, she knew that this would be the best option. Especially since it meant removing a threat to the peace for good...

His collar was encased in black, and torn apart. For the first time in a week, Solor blinked, and moved his arms and legs, shifting in his restraints. Soon, those were removed as well, as he got off of the chair, flapping his wings and shifting his tail. He looked at the door with narrowed eyes, a low growl filling the air, just as his victim appeared, the one eye he exposed growing wide.

"... this won't end well", Slade managed to utter, before Solor charged, roaring angrily. Before he could move, the dragon had him caught in his claws, holding him up by his throat.

"Slade, pawn of Darkness", Solor said slowly, growling at him. "You have been charged with kidnapping, torture, genetic harvesting, and attempted brainwashing." Raven gasped at that, not knowing that Solor had gone through that. "What say you in your defense?"

"You won't kill me", Slade responded, smirking under his mask. "You're still being watched by the Circle... they won't take kindly to you killing a mortal."

However, Solor's next words, made his blood run cold. "You have taken the Heir of Light and given him willingly to an agent of Darkness", Solor told him. "You sat by and allowed her to take what she wanted from me... you allowed her to violate me in so many ways, I will have nightmares about this week for years to come. I don't think they will care if I kill you or not."

Slade's eye widened as he felt something pierce through his chest, and stared down, seeing Solor's claws stabbing him in the heart. As the mercenary looked back up, Solor leaned in, glaring into him as the life began to fade from his body. "This is better than you deserve... I honor you with a quick death, pawn." He twisted his claws, utterly ripping Slade's heart apart and giving him no chance of survival, before pulling back and letting his body fall.

Raven approached Solor cautiously, seeing how mercilessly he had killed the mercenary. "Solor?" she asked tentatively. "Are you okay?"

The dragon didn't face her, but a new emotion managed to hit her. She could feel horrible sorrow and despair rolling off of him, and he was trying desperately to cling to his strong facade. She was certain that if she was facing him, she'd see the tears clinging to his eyes.

"No", he said softly, his voice cracking. "I am not... and I will not be... for a very long time..."

Without warning, he turned, grabbing her and pulling her into a tight hug. Were he not so emotional, she would have objected. But she heard him sniffling and shaking as silent tears fell from his eyes. For the first time since she had met him, Raven saw him at his weakest. And it frightened her. What exactly did they do that had him so distraught? He mentioned genetic harvesting... they didn't go that far... did they?

Raven wrapped her arms around her friend, calling upon her powers. "Solor is secure, Robin. I'm coming home with him now." With that, she began to teleport, knowing it would be a long, silent evening when she told her leader the news.

XxXxXxX

To say Robin was upset would be an understatement. He was pacing the Ops center furiously, glaring at the ground as he muttered to himself. About what, no one could tell; he was speaking in a language no one else understood.

Solor was sent to the medbay to recover, and surprisingly, he went without any argument. He was silent once he returned home, quickly wiping away the tears to look stronger, but everyone could tell he was at a weak point in his life.

Cyborg had been running an analysis on Solor, determining whether or not there was any permanent damage. Fortunately, there was none, but he found it disturbing to see so many scales were ripped out of place, and his flesh had been pierced several times to allow Vilea to harvest bone marrow and other substances.

Starfire was considerably worried, but she refrained from speaking up. Robin seemed much too upset, and the mere mention of the dragon had Robin glaring at anyone who dared to speak up, so she sat patiently on the couch… though her leg couldn't stop slightly bouncing in anxiousness as she waited to hear the news.

Beast Boy and Terra, meanwhile, also sat in silence. The green changeling had morphed into a kitten, and was allowing the blonde geomancer to stroke her fingers through his fur as he lay on her lap. It was calming for both of them; they were both just as antsy as Starfire, but had a different way to cope.

Raven, in the meantime, was watching Robin. Since she had given her report, she was waiting for some sort of response. Finally, the silence seemed to become unbearable to her, and she spoke up. "So… where do we go from here?"

Robin looked up at her. "Where do you think?" he said in English. "I have to contact the Justice League and tell them what happened."

"Dude, the League?" Terra asked, as Beast Boy climbed off of her lap. "You can't do that! We just got Solor back, and they'll take him away again!"

"Yeah, dude!" Beast Boy agreed. "Solor still needs time to recover!"

"Solor _killed _someone today!" Robin pointed out. "When he told us he was _expressly forbidden _from doing so! He can't be trusted anymore!"

"Friend Robin, you cannot mean to say Solor is going rogue!" Starfire objected. "He is a founding member of the Titans!"

"And he's also not like us!" Robin argued. "He told us he had a moral sense of right and wrong, and he follows his leaders' commands to the strictest protocols! Seeing that he contradicted his own words with his actions-"

"Slade let this… this enemy of his _harvest _from him!" Raven spoke up, sounding genuinely angry. "She took blood, scales, hair, marrow… and God knows what else! And then he was going to be _brainwashed _into working for Slade!"

"But that doesn't justify killing anyone!" Robin yelled. "We still could have captured Slade, brought him to justice ourselves! We could have done this without any bloodshed!"

Cyborg took that moment to enter. "Well… my analysis is done. Solor is fine physically - just a day of rest or two and he'll be back in prime condition - but… emotionally, he's not all there. Whatever Slade did to him has him hurting bad."

"How would you know that?" Raven asked.

"Well, I'm no psychologist", Cyborg mused, "but I do know a thing or two about our friend. He doesn't like to be touched, and he absolutely hates it when people see him at weak points. So, when he let me observe all the parts of him that had no scales, or had tears in his flesh… I knew something was up."

"See? We can't call the League!" Beast Boy pointed out. "Solor wasn't in his right mind! He needs help!" He looked to Raven, a desperate look on his face. "You can say he wasn't all there! You read minds; you can help him!"

"Unfortunately, it's not that easy", Raven stated. "I was able to connect to Solor's mind while it was being inhibited by that collar we collected. Although under a lot of stress and obviously angry, he was able to think coherently."

"Then why did you let him go?" Robin asked, glaring. "If you knew he was going to do that, why did you let him kill Slade?"

"Because Slade is no friend of mine", Raven said, "And I think I'd rather deal with an angry you instead of Solor."

Robin groaned, putting his hands on his head. "Great. Now, thanks to that decision, we have a dead man, and a murderer recovering in our med bay!"

Starfire objected at that, her eyes flashing a dangerous green. "Solor is not a murderer! He has had ample opportunities to kill us, or our enemies, but he has always followed the code you lay before him, or the Circle has given him. He has never killed anyone before this!"

"He helped us when we needed it most!" Terra added. "He taught me control, he saved Raven from a dragon trapped in a book, he was able to hold Cyborg still when he was infected with that virus-"

"And the Justice League is helping with our funding!" Robin pointed out, getting a shocked look on the Titans' faces. "What, did you think we had a limitless account of money in the city? The League has been backing us up from the very get go! We've gotten some funding back from Jump City, true, but without the League, we wouldn't have gotten this far! I don't have a choice; I have to let them know!"

"Then do it already!" Raven told him, her eyes glaring at him as her cloak shifted from her repressed power. "If you so desperately want to run to the League when we can handle this ourselves, then go ahead!" She turned, leaving the room. "I'll be with Solor; one of us has to support him in his state."

The rest of the team all shot Robin a look of anger, and one by one, they began to follow the empath. Even Starfire, though she hesitated a bit, ended up leaving. Robin was alone as he turned to the computer.

"Robin to the Watchtower... please respond..."

XxXxXxX

Solor sighed as he looked to his friends. They all simply walked in, but no one has said a word. Seeing them all so... somber, so quiet, had him confused, and a tiny bit worried. But he knew they were only here to support him, which made him feel worse. "You don't have to be here, you know", he told them. "I'll be fine. I can handle this myself."

"Dude, it's kinda obvious you can't", Beast Boy told the dragon.

"But we're here to help any way we can", Terra added.

"Why?" he asked. "Why would you help me?" He looked at his hands. "I fell for Slade's ploy so easily... I was so easily manipulated, and trapped, and exploited..."

"Well, that's why we're here to help you", Cyborg said. "A family doesn't turn its back on someone who's hurting."

Those words seemed to hit a cord in Solor's heart, and he fell silent. He sighed, before looking up at him. "Mine did." With the incredulous looks he got, he knew he had to explain. "My childhood was probably very different from all of yours. When I was young - and by young I mean two hundred years old - I was selected to be the Heir of the LIght. It is a high honor for a dragon, and it meant when my father, who was Grand Light, passed on to join the Alpha... I would take his place as leader of my people."

"Then you are like me", Starfire said. "I was second in line for the throne on Tamaran."

"I was", Solor confirmed. "But as I mentioned... dragons value strength above all else. We have little room for compassion, or emotional attachment. Our actions, our friends, our mates, our very lives are determined by how strong we are. And the Circle saw potential in me to be the strongest dragon in my entire clan.

"My mother, however, saw a different strength in me", Solor continued. His eyes were shimmering with unshed tears as he spoke about her. "She saw a strength in my heart. She treated me with patience when others would have snapped. She showed me kindness when I was hurt, instead of belittling me for showing weakness. She was compassionate, and caring, and one of the few reasons that I enjoyed my time in Lair. I knew I was different from other dragons my age... I just didn't know how different."

"What happened to her?" Raven asked, although she knew the answer. "Why do you feel so sad when you think of her?"

"Because... because she is dead now", he told Raven. "She was 1700 when she passed away, which is young for us. I miss her severely... but to keep me from falling to weakness, I have avoided speaking of her for so long." By this point, the tears were starting to fall, as he clenched his fists. "She was going to be a mother again... but that Death dragon... said she was growing weak... and I couldn't believe it... I didn't want to believe it ..."

The Titans remained silent while he composed himself, wanting to refuse to cry. "I attacked the dragon who bore that terrible news... and almost died that day. I was taken to the Circle for judgement. This time, instead of pride and honor, I was assaulted with jeers and glares. Even my own father stared at me without any emotion. The Circle held back nothing, and banished me for my transgression. I was given five months to prepare, and in that time, my mother died."

He then let out a hollow chuckle. "My father turned his back on me in my time of need... I was so used to working out my problems alone... that I expected you all to do the same."

"Never", Starfire told him. "I would never abandon such a wonderful friend."

Beast Boy and Terra nodded in agreement.

"That ain't what a family does", Cyborg told the dragon.

"Like it or not, Solor, we're here to help you", Raven finished. "So suck it up and let us do our job."

Seeing their determination, how everyone refused to let him go through this alone, was the final nail in the coffin. The tears began to flow freely. He suddenly grabbed the two that were closest to him, which happened to be Beast Boy and Raven, and pulled them in close for a tight hug as he shook with silent sobs. "Thank you..."

Beast Boy looked surprised, and wanted to pull away, but a glancing look at Raven told him it was probably in his best interest to just stay where he was.

Solor didn't know how long he had been like this, holding two of his teammates as he let the tears fall, allowed his friends - no, his _family _\- to see him like this. Eventually, the silence was broken by an anxious cough, and when he looked up, there was Robin, with a man in red and blue looking to him. He recognized the man immediately, as he quickly wiped away his tears.

"Hello, Solor", Superman said, approaching. "I wish we could have met under different circumstances."

"As do I", Solor said, sitting up. "I suppose I am to come with you?"

"Yes", the Kryptonian responded, moving to the door. "Say goodbye to your friends, as well."

Starfire glared at Robin. "We just got him back, and you expect us to let him leave so soon?"

However, the dragon didn't say anything to Robin that would incite a fight. Instead, as he walked past, he gently placed a hand on the Boy Wonder's shoulder, making him look up to the being. "I understand", Solor said, giving a sad, broken smile. "I would have done the same. Take care of our family, Robin."

As Superman took the Heir of Light into custody, the sidekick to Batman stared after Solor, as a million new thoughts surged in his mind, overwhelming his brain with theories and questions. But the most prominent one roared above all others, and he felt his heart fill with regret.

_What did I just do?_

**XxXxXxX**

**Well, that's another chapter done. I know, it took way too long to post this one, and while I know what I want the story to lead to, it may take a while to figure out how to get there.**

**In the meantime, I'll be responding to reviews through here now. So, here's to everyone who said that I am evil…**

**Sorry that I denied that shipping?**

**Seriously, a guest even went and called Solor a giant idiot. That wasn't very nice.**

**Anyway, in all seriousness, I'll be writing review responses at the end of every chapter, so don't be afraid to review.**


	7. Trial

**If you're looking for the review responses, you'll have to wait until the end of the chapter. So, enjoy!**

XxXxX

No matter how many times it happened, Solor would never get used to the feeling of traveling in space. He was probably the first of his kind to be so close to the stars, but he kept his excitement in check. He kept his head down, his claws together in his cuffs that Superman had placed on him. He was willing to cooperate, and he needed to show that.

The Watchtower was impressive, to say the very least. He glanced at the technological marvel, and couldn't help but feel very small in this area. He was used to nature; so mach machinery around him was unnerving. He didn't know what to make of it, so eventually he just lowered his head, looking at Superman's feet and following him carefully.

Speaking of which, the Man of Steel said little to him. Only on minding his head, or watching out for other heroes walking the halls, such as Green Arrow or Captain Marvel. When he did accidentally bump into another hero, Solor would utter a soft apology before moving on, until finally he was brought into a room with a round table, with the other founding members sitting in place. He had to keep his head lowered; not because they asked him to, but he felt a very familiar vibe here like he felt whenever he had to deal with his leaders.

"So, this is Solor", Wonder Woman said, staring at him. "The Draconic Titan."

"I kinda expected him to be taller", the Flash said, smirking.

"Flash, this is serious", said the Green Lantern, a man with dark skin and hair. "This Titan has committed a serious crime; the murder of Slade Wilson."

That certainly got everyone's attention, as the Martian Manhunter spoke up next. "Slade Wilson? You mean Deathstroke is dead?"

"The very same", Batman responded. "Robin reported this only half an hour ago, and I know he wouldn't lie about something like this."

Aquaman noticed the way Solor avoided eye contact, and called him out on it. "Solor? Why do you refuse to look at us?"

"Because to my people, this is a sign of respect", the dragon said. "It is my way of saying... 'I am weaker than you', or 'I put my life in your hands'."

Superman looked surprised, but decided not to say anything. Wonder Woman spoke up next. "So you don't feel guilty for killing Slade, then?"

"I will never feel guilty about it", Solor told her, though his eyes remained averted. "Slade was a terrible person who would do anything to gain more power. In my home, those who have such disregard for the life of the First's children are executed."

"But we're not in your home, Solor", the Martain said. "When you killed Slade Wilson, you were on American soil. We have legal procedures for criminals like Slade."

"And you would have given him ample opportunity to escape and wreak havoc and destruction all over again", Solor countered. "Slade would never change, no matter how long he stayed in prison. If he was able to last a thousand years, his way of thinking would have never been altered without extreme outside aid."

"So, you're saying that you are above the law", Green Lantern stated. "You're above the jurisdiction because of your association with the Titans? Is that why you killed him?"

"Of course not", Solor stated. "My people follow very strict rules, and it is only under extreme circumstances that these teachings are ignored. I killed Slade because such an extreme circumstance was the condition of why I killed."

Before anyone else could ask what he meant, Batman spoke up. "Tell us about these rules, Solor. Tell us why you felt it was necessary to kill Slade."

Solor looked up, slowly, as he stared at the table. "It will take some time, Justice League. I hope you are all comfortable."

With that, he began to explain almost everything to them.

XxXxXxX

"What the HELL is wrong with you?!"

Robin let out a grunt as he was sent flying across the room. Cyborg and Starfire rushed to help him up, while Beast Boy and Terra held back an extremely pissed off Raven, whose eyes were glowing a bright red.

"I'm okay", Robin told Cyborg and Starfire.

"You're not going to be!" Raven roared, lifting up a few items in the ops center, ready to launch them at him.

"Rae, calm down!" Beast Boy pleaded.

"Yeah, Raven! You're not gonna bring Solor back by beating the crap out of Robin!" Terra added.

"He betrayed Solor!" Raven yelled. "He actually called the Justice League and let them take him away!"

"I know, and I was wrong!" Robin yelled out, causing everyone to freeze. "I was wrong to do it! Solor isn't vicious or evil; he was hurting, and I didn't help him when I could have!"

Everyone paused. Robin rarely ever admit when he was wrong. Only when he had irrefutable proof being held against him would he ever willingly say otherwise. Raven's eyes faded back to normal, but she was still glaring at him, slowly placing the objects back on the floor. "So... what are you going to do to help him, now?"

Starfire, surprisingly came up with an answer first. "Friend Solor said he was an Heir, correct? He was chosen to become the next leader of his people when his father passes on."

Cyborg immediately shot that down. "He isn't immune to the law because of that. The Vienna Convention won't be of any help; he committed a crime on U.S. soil, and broke a law of our country. He can still be forced to face jail time."

Robin shook his head, however. "What about his heritage? He'll last hundreds of years longer than any of us, longer than the Manhunter."

"If we can convince them that imprisoning him would be a waste of their time, then perhaps they will allow him to leave the Watchtower", Starfire stated. "But how would we do that?"

Robin seemed to get an idea. "Cyborg, prep the ship for launch. I'm going to the Watchtower."

XxXxXxX

"And that is all I can tell you", Solor finished. His head was back down, as he shook in his cuffs. He had told them about his banishment, about his previous crime back in his homeland and why he had joined the Titans. He then told them of his hardships integrating himself into this society that he landed in, and the trouble he had run into whenever Slade was involved. Finally, he told them of his capture and torture at Slade and Vilea's hands. The only thing he hadn't mentioned - that he was _forbidden _from mentioning - was that he was a dragon.

The group of heroes were staring with mixed reactions. Green Lantern and Flash were looking at him with sympathy, and Wonder Woman looked disgusted. Martian Manhunter was looking upon him with pity, and Superman looked a bit angry. Batman was the only one who kept a poker face, and it was hard to gauge his reaction.

"You should have captured him, not killed him", said Superman first. "We could have taken him to a proper court, mete out the proper justice-"

"For one called the Man of Steel, you are as naive as a child", Solor told the Kryptonian, causing a few startled stares. "My people are old, Superman. Older than humanity by a longshot. And even we know sometimes the only way to end a problem is to remove it from the picture. Even among brothers and sister, sometimes the only solution is a fight to the death."

"Your people are very aggressive, then", Martian Manhunter said. "Even among my people, I have never heard of kinsman killing each other as a solution."

"It is not very common, I will admit that", Solor told the League. "Only when a dragon has been slighted to the extreme, and feels that nothing will fix this problem, can they petition for a Bloodbath - an ancient tradition where two dragons are thrust into battle... and only one can emerge victorious."

"And you feel that you were slighted so harshly?" Green Lantern asked. "You can't even contact your Circle. And Slade wasn't one of your own. You even told us that your leaders, the Circle, may punish you for this breaking of their rule."

"Slade willingly left me in the hands of my people's enemy", Solor told them. "I was harvested, tortured, and broken so many times I can no longer count it. And you tell me that I should have shown mercy." He snorted. "You fledglings know nothing about justice, and it is in your name."

"Now hold on!" Flash objected. "Just because we don't execute our villains doesn't mean we don't know anything about justice! We protect people, we keep them safe!"

"Is letting your villain fight for another day truly 'justice'?" Solor asked, glaring at them all. "It's easy to claim that a villain doesn't know what they're doing, that they are 'mentally ill', or 'driven mad by grief'. But some of these 'victims' that you portray..." He finally started looking up, anger in his eyes. "Captain Cold... Brainiac... Darkseid... the Joker... All of these villains rise again and again, and could be eliminated for good, but you choose to say that you are above them, that you are better than them. But I think those that choose to make the hard decisions should not be blessed as you are."

"Many of our villains are mentally ill", Batman countered. "Many of them can be helped, and just need to be shown what they're doing is wrong."

"What if they refuse to see your side?" Solor continued. "What would you do if you found out they are truly mentally ill... and simply do not care? What would you do to said villain, who you wish to help, when they simply refuse to seek help no matter how many times they are told to? How do you see a man, like the Joker, whose heart is so twisted and vile that there is no redemption in either this life or the next?"

"What would you know of it?" Wonder Woman asked. "Do you have enemies like this?"

"We certainly do", Solor stated. He showed them his hands, now looking like claws, as he spoke. "The Darkness clan, of my people, has been on this Earth far longer than you can imagine. Should they ask for mercy... they would be given a swift death. But in times of war, there is no traitor actively seeking peace. The leader of the clan wants our destruction, and the destruction of everyone else, so they can keep this world to themselves."

The Justice League looked at each other, seeming to have gotten an idea of how adamant Solor was about his decision to kill Slade. "Well, then we have no choice", Aquaman said. "We cannot allow you to leave this Watchtower. We'll keep you here, in our strongest holding cell, until a time when-"

"Hold it!" came the familiar voice, and Solor's eyes widened as he stared at Robin, who walked into the room with an air of confidence. He stood by Solor's side as he spoke against the League. "You can't imprison a member of my team, especially not Solor."

"Like hell we can't!" Flash said. "This boy is a menace to society if we let him go! He'll kill again in a heartbeat!"

"Solor made a promise to me and the rest of my team that he only kills in extreme circumstances", Robin told the League. "The death of Slade is a terrible thing, and I do wish that we could have given him a fair trial before bidding for the death penalty. But Solor's own laws dictated that Slade had to die."

"What do you know about Solor, Robin?" Batman said, glaring at his protege. "You'll tell us everything."

"No, I won't", Robin objected, "because that's not my secret to share. If you want proof, you'll have to ask Solor yourself."

Solor stared at Robin. "What are you-"

"Just go with it", the leader of the Titans whispered to Solor. "Let J'onn read your mind. If you can show him how futile it is to keep you imprisoned, how much help you can bring if we keep you free, then you'll get out of here and be back in the tower in ten minutes."

Solor stared at Robin, but seeing his confidence caused the dragon to sigh. "Very well. Martian Manhunter... if you wish to know what I am, what I can do... I will allow you to read my mind."

The green man nodded, floating over and looking deep into Solor's mind. The dragon, meanwhile, kept his mind open, allowing the martian to see whatever he wished. The green man's expression was stoic at first, but slowly his eyes widened, and his jaw dropped in shock.

_H-How can this be? _the martian told the dragon. _You can break free any time! Why even go through with this farce?_

_Because, J'onn, _Solor said through the temporary link, _I wish to show you that I am not the angry beast you see in my mind. I wish for you to trust me. If you let me go, I promise I will keep in check. No other mortal shall die by my hand, barring another circumstance similar to this one. I give you my word... on my honor... on... my mother's grave... I swear it._

J'onn stared at the dragon, looking for any trace of deceit. When he found none, J'onn decided not to pry any further. He had all the information he needed, and would share it with the League at a later time. "I move that we release Solor of the Light and allow him to return home. He is needed on his team, and requires time to recover."

"What?!" Superman almost yelled out. "You can't be serious J'onn! After what he did?"

"Superman, if we incarcerate everyone with powers who has killed once, a good chunk of our own members would be trapped as well", the Martain stated. "We'll keep an eye on him, and make sure he does not do this again, but for now, we should let him go home."

The Flash thought about this as well, and eventually spoke up. "I'll second that motion."

One by one, the League all agreed to let the dragon go, except for Superman and Batman. Being outvoted, the two had no choice but to let him go. Batman gave Robin and Solor a heavy glare while the Man of Steel removed Solor's cuffs, giving him a subtle glare as well, which Solor ignored.

As Robin began escorting Solor out, the dragon spoke up. "Now the League knows of my existence", he said in an irritated mood. "I should just hold a news conference and say, 'Hello world! Dragons exist!'"

"Calm down", Robin said softly. "They all understand the importance of secrets, especially big ones like that. They won't blab to the media or anything."

Solor wanted to complain more, but he knew he had no one to blame but himself. So, instead, he decided to focus on something else. "... thank you", he said hesitantly. "For... coming to help me. I don't think I would have convinced them to release me without your aid."

"It's alright", Robin said. "We're family, and family looks out for each other."

Solor's eyes blinked at that. Hearing Robin say that made him happy, but he turned to the leader of the Titans with a skeptical look. "You may see this team as a family, Robin, but I do not."

"You don't?" Robin asked, smirking. "Then why did you let us see you in your weakest moment? Isn't that only reserved for your family, according to your customs?"

Solor had the decency to blush, but nodded. "Right... don't tell Beast Boy I consider him family. He's insufferable enough as it is."

"Don't worry", Robin said. "That's your secret to share."

XxXxXxX

After a while, the dragon was back in his home, in Jump City, climbing out of the T-ship slowly. He was still impressed that Robin came to help out, and that his plan actually worked. The rest of the team came into the room, checking on their draconic friend as he turned to them.

"I am fine", he said, giving them a reassuring smile. "I'm not injured."

"Are you certain?" Starfire asked. "Superman is a Kryptonian, and our people know their strength if they can be near a yellow sun."

"I am certain", Solor told her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I am okay."

"No, you're not", Cyborg said. "You may have healed fine from your encounter with Slade, but we'll need you to take time off. We want to make sure you'll be alright whenever you start taking missions again."

Solor nodded to Cyborg. "I understand... and I appreciate the concern. I will remain in the tower for some time."

Raven pushed forward, gaining his attention. "If you need anything", she said to him, "you let me know, okay?"

Solor nodded, though an eyebrow quirked up. "Are you alright? You don't normally seem so... invested in my well-being."

She seemed to freeze up for a minute, but she soon shifted back into her relaxed stance. "I'm paying you back for your help with Malchior, that's all." She lifted her hood up, turning away as she left the room. "Just call me on the communicator if you need anything."

"Oh... okay", he said in response, unsure of how to react.

As she turned the corner, she hid in the hall, taking a deep breath to calm her heart. She had been having this weird feeling since Solor's birthday, but now it was mixed with fear. Ever since she heard him screaming for help in her head...

Solor was _never _afraid.

She soon continued down the hall, deciding to think about something else. She'd figure out what was going on later.

That night, Solor entered his room, saying good night to his teammates via his communicator. As he was about to lay down, his device chirped, and he knew someone was trying to contact him. He opened the device. "This is Solor."

"_Your actions have been seen by the Circle._"

Immediately, Solor sat up straight, his eyes wide and his heart beating fast. The Circle was contacting him?! "Grand Circle, I-"

"_Silence, Starborn._" The draconic Titan immediately shut his mouth, waiting to hear from whoever was speaking to him. After a pause, the voice continued, filled with power. "_After careful consideration... we have determined that the death of Mercenary Slade Wilson, also known as Deathstroke the Terminator, is acceptable. But know this, Child of the Grand Light... we will not turn our eyes away should you kill again._"

The line went dead.

**XxXxXxX**

**Shorter chapter this time, sorry. I didn't know how to make this one go on for longer, so... yeah.**

**Anyway, Review Responses!**

**The Dark Lord of Chaos: I'm glad you don't think I'm evil anymore... that'll make future chapters easier to write. Though you may take that comment back on a later chapter :)**

**Guest Martyn: I honestly forgot about Torik's Tail... I may have to re-watch some Fairy Tail to get that going again...**


	8. Recovery

"Robin calling Cyborg. Robin calling Cyborg."

The main screen in the Ops Center lit up, and Cyborg's smiling face appeared on it. "What's up?" he said, looking down at the console in his car.

"Oh hello, friend who I am missing already! The sight of you makes my eyes sore!" Starfire said to her friend, a bright smile on her face. Considering that Cyborg had been gone for over five days now, it was understandable that she missed him.

"Yeah, it's been totally lame without you here", Beast Boy said simply.

"He's just feeling bummed out because I keep kicking his butt at video games", Terra added. "Though better me in virtual reality than Raven in real reality."

"How goes the cross-country trip?" Robin asked, smiling at his second-in-command.

"Just dandy", Cyborg said sarcastically, glaring outside the windshield. "It's like eighty below, the hail is messing up my paint job and WHY DID I VOLUNTEER FOR THIS?!"

Beast Boy took that moment to stick his head into the conversation. "Because after Brother Blood stole your blueprints and used them to attack us, Bumblebee and Aqualad tracked him down to Steel City."

"So now", Terra interjected, "they're starting up the Titans East to take him down, and you're headed out there to help them set up their new tower."

"The Titans East need your technical know-how", Robin finished.

"Yeah", Cyborg said, his face frowning as he formed a fist. "And maybe if I stick around long enough, I'll get another chance to take down Brother Blood…" At that, he brought his fist down, hitting the space right next to his seat, eliciting a loud bang. "...personally."

"And even if you don't, maybe some time away from home will do you some good", Robin said with a knowing smirk.

"Agreed", Starfire stated. "You have been somewhat… lobstery lately."

After a few confused stares, Raven interjected, "I think she means 'crabby'."

"Speaking of crabby… how's Solor?" Cyborg asked.

"You know Solor… he's pretty much pushed himself entirely into training. Once he's able to go on missions again, he doesn't want to be dead weight", Terra said softly. "He still wakes up with nightmares every now and then, but it isn't as often as it was before."

"I hope he'll be okay", Cyborg stated, sighing a bit. "I feel bad, heading out when he needs friends right now."

"He'll be fine", Robin stated. "He's strong, and he's working on recovering. Plus, we're here, and he understands that you're best suited for this mission."

"Yeah", Beast Boy stated. "Besides, someone has to teach these newbies what being a Titan is all about." At that, the communication was cut, allowing Cyborg to continue with his mission.

Solor stepped in at that moment. Unlike his usual mission clothes, he was wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. "Was that Cyborg?" he asked. "How is he?"

"He's arrived at Steel City", Robin informed the dragon. "He's fine."

Solor nodded. In the time he had spent at the tower, he shifted his form a bit, making his hair shorter now and kept it flat against his head. He sighed, sitting down. "I'm sorry I'm not much help", he said to the team.

"No, it's nothing", Terra said, walking over and placing a hand on his shoulder. "You'll be fine, but we need you to be at one hundred percent. When you're cleared for missions, we'll be happy to have you back."

Raven, meanwhile, was staring at the two. She knew better, knew that Terra was only supporting the dragon, but she couldn't help that her heart gave her a shot of anger.

_Why am I angry? _she asked herself. _She's just a friend, she's been dating Beast Boy for almost a year now. Why does it matter that she can so easily walk over and comfort Solor like that?_

"Well, I look forward to being able to help again", Solor said, a smile forming on his face. He sighed as he leaned back, sinking further into his seat. "Though, from what Cyborg and Raven said, I need to wait for these nightmares to stop... I need to get over this damn fear..."

"It's a form of PTSD", Robin stated. "You may be stuck with it for the rest of your life, but we can help you cope with it. Besides, Slade's gone, so that half of the equation shouldn't be a problem anymore."

"Yes, but the Darkness is still a large problem", Solor groaned, sitting forward, clenching his fists. "If I ever get my hands on her..."

"You'll have to go by your leaders' laws", Starfire told him. "We will not be able to aid you without them knowing we were informed on your heritage."

That took the wind out of his sails, and Solor eventually relaxed into the couch again. "No point in worrying, then; I'm not allowed to interfere with Lair missions without given permission from the Circle."

There was another moment of silence as the team seemed to get back into the swing of things. Robin eventually spoke up, frowning. "This is interesting..."

"What's up?"

"It says here that Doctor Chang has escaped prison", Robin stated. "I should probably go out and do some investigating."

"Good idea", Raven stated. "We'll keep an eye on the local police calls, see if they hear anything."

Solor, meanwhile, got up. "Well, this is the part where I have to find something else to do. Enjoy your mission, guys."

With that, he headed off to find something to do, but with little to go on, he ended up listening to music while reading a book. He discovered the joys of YouTube, and found a few artists he preferred while on his time off. He especially liked country music, and wished he had a chance to sing some of these songs himself. But he didn't have the privacy for that. Plus... he was getting tired. His nights had been plagued with nightmares since his days being trapped by Slade and Vilea... and while he was getting better at dealing with them, he definitely did not want to sleep. He looked at his bed pensively.

"... I have to sleep sooner or later..." he said softly. "I can't be a part of the team if I don't get my rest..." But no matter how he assured himself, he couldn't get rid of the unease in his heart. Reluctantly, he lowered himself onto his bed, and sat in the now dark room, glancing around. He had noted that his desk and dresser now had a few items on them, reminding him of his adventures. The last thing he ever expected to find was his personal computer.

He slowly closed is eyes and let himself relax, but he couldn't help the shudder as he involuntarily thought of that night. Already, his eyes grew heavy, and he immediately knew tonight would not be very pleasant for him.

XxXxXxX

"So, you guys are going?"

Solor was right. The night did not go well for him. His nightmares woke him up at 3 in the morning, and he could not go back to sleep. So, he got up at that moment, forcing himself to work out, to focus on anything but the dream. It was too real... too much like what he was stuck in. The feel of being unable to move, the slicing of flesh, the piercing of bone...

It still haunted his memories now.

When the others woke up, he found out that Cyborg was planning on staying in Steel City as the leader of the Titans East. While he was sad their friend wasn't coming home, he wished the metal teen the best. Now, from what he understood, Cyborg was sending a distress signal, and needed help.

"Brother Blood is attacking his tower", Robin explained. "So the team and I are going to back him up. Will you be alright here on your own?"

"Of course", Solor stated. "No one is going to be foolish enough to attack here. I shall hold down the fort."

Robin gave him a slightly worried look. "Are you sure? I saw the video feed; you got up really early today. Another nightmare?"

Solor's expression softened a bit, and he looked down, ashamed. "I know the physical wounds have vanished, Robin. But the mental scars will stay with me for a long time. I have to learn how to cope with it. But..." At this, he gave Robin a reassuring smile. "I will be fine while you are gone. I've dealt with my problems alone before. I can do it again."

Robin looked unsure, but nodded. "Alright then... we'll be heading out. Take care." With that, Solor was left alone in the ops center, watching his leader leave for the garage.

Now that he was alone, he began thinking to himself. _What could I do now, while I wait for them to return?_ He sat down on the couch. _I'm not allowed to leave the tower yet; not for missions, anyway. And the public has not seen me since my disappearance a month and a half ago. And should my voice be heard singing on the roof again, I'll surely drag some attention to myself..._

He looked over at the large window that served as their television, and was reminded of an event. Beast Boy often played songs through the screen whenever there wasn't a mission or a video game being played on it. If there was a way he could figure out how the green teen did it... but then there was the fact that certain cameras would capture whatever happened in here.

However, these were problems for the old Solor. Thanks to the fact that Cyborg forced him to learn how these systems worked, he was able to easily log onto the mainframe and temporarily disable the cameras in the base of operations. He waited patiently, until he saw the T-Ship was out of the hangar and heading towards the east, before he jumped onto the computer. Now, the living room/kitchen cameras were disabled, allowing him to have a little more privacy. The first thing he did when he was alone?

He peeled his shirt off, exposing his upper body.

"Finally", he muttered to himself. He stretched out his arms above his, letting out a light groan. It wasn't that he didn't like clothes; he knew that human society mostly required clothes to be worn while out in public. But it always felt weird to him; he had no need for them, and yet he was expected to wear them all the same. Heck, he would walk around naked if he could, but the last time he did that, he was scolded by not just Robin, but Cyborg and Beast Boy as well. However, he did keep his pants on; he didn't want to have to pick them up later.

Next on the agenda was finding a good song. Upon opening youtube, he immediately searched for one of his favorite country groups, Zac Brown Band. After scrolling through their songs, he found his favorite, Homegrown. After a moment, the steady drums began pulsing through the speakers, and he stood up, moving to the center of the room, closing his eyes as he let the music run through him.

As Zac's voice echoed in the room, Solor allowed his feet to move, slowly dancing to the music. His moves were calculated and careful; he didn't want to accidentally break anything with his terrible dancing. He made sure his tail was firmly pressed against his body, and his feet weren't making any unnecessary movement, while his hands remained firmly in his pockets. It was simplistic, but it was the best he could do. As the chorus began to pick up, he opened his mouth, singing along with the voice of an angel.

_I got some good friends that live down the street__  
__Got a good looking woman with her arms round me__  
__Here in this small town where it feels like home__  
__I got everything I need and nothing that I don't_

As the band sang the word "homegrown", Solor couldn't hold back, and put all that he could into his voice, letting it echo through the halls. It didn't matter to him; no one was in the building but him. He could sing as loud as he wanted, and no one could stop him.

Or so he thought. After a moment, he opened his eyes, just to make sure he wasn't straying too close to anything fragile, and his green eyes caught onto a pair of violet ones, watching him from doorway.

"ACK!" The dragon let out a very startled yelp, causing him to trip up and fall flat onto his bottom hard, and while the floor didn't hurt him, landing on his own tail did. "AGH! OW OW OW!"

His audience seemed to snap out of a stupor, as Raven quickly floated over, concern in her eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked in her usual monotone.

"I'm fine", Solor said, getting off of his tail and holding the appendage in his hands. "Just... hit my tail a little too hard, that's all... what are you doing here?"

"Robin wasn't sure leaving you here alone was a good idea", Raven told him. "He asked me to stay here and make sure you'd be okay, while the others go to help Cyborg."

"But you're one of the strongest members", Solor insisted. "They need you there."

"But you need me here", Raven countered. "You're not gonna convince me to leave, Solor, so either accept it or butt heads with me all night."

He wanted to argue, but eventually he just sighed and lowered his head. "So... how long have you been there?"

A faint tinge of pink graced the empath's cheeks, going back to what happened a minute ago. "Since you started singing the chorus."

"Perfect", Solor grumbled. He reached over, grabbing the discarded shirt he had thrown onto the couch. After a couple quick tugs, the shirt was back in place as he slipped it on. "Well, I'm certain you have questions."

"Well, I guess a couple", Raven admitted. She sat down on the couch, glancing back at him. "Why didn't you tell anyone you could sing?"

Solor tapped his chin. "Well, think about it; I'm the serious powerhouse of the team. I usually don't goof off in the public eye." He sighed gently. "I didn't want to be seen as silly or goofy. I need to keep my secrets as well." He then lightly twiddled his thumbs. "And... I didn't want Beast Boy and Cyborg to make fun of me for it."

"You usually don't care if anyone says anything about you", Raven pressed. "What's the real reason?" She knew he was holding something back; being an empath had its perks.

Solor sighed, looking down at his claws. "Singing has... a very important part in a dragon's life. There are only two songs in our entire culture... but they both are very important to us. The first is the Song of Celebration, to commemorate truly momentous occasions, such as an Heir being raised to the position of Grand. For me, it would be if I were raised to the rank of Grand Light." He sighed softly. "The other... is the Song of Sending... a funeral song."

"I won't push into it", Raven told him softly. "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand."

Solor looked at her, and for a moment, she thought he was going to thank her for understanding. But he surprised her again when he spoke up.

"I never got to properly mourn her."

She stared at him, her eyebrow raising, showing the only trace of emotion she'd allow. At the silence, he spoke more. "I never got to properly mourn my mother. She died shortly before my banishment began. I had only enough time to bury her and mark her grave. As soon as I was finished, I was thrust into the mortal world, and immediately forced to hide my pain and bitterness. Though..." He gave a hollow chuckle. "The latter was probably a little more obvious than the former."

She wouldn't show it on her face, but inside her heart was breaking. He looked so forlorn, so broken by what happened. At the same time, she knew that him lingering on this was probably very unhealthy. It had been over two years since the Titans had formed; he needed to move on, though she had no idea on how to help him with that.

"I never got to sing the song at her grave", he told Raven, sitting down next to her. "I miss her very much. Until I can send her spirit off with the song... I cannot let go. It is tradition, a very old one. I know my father has probably sung for her already, so he is probably finally free of this sorrow... but it clings to me like a parasite."

Raven nodded, sighing a bit. "I can understand things like that", she told him. "You feel that it's out of your control... that nothing you do matters, that you can only go through with what was determined a long time ago." She turned to him, tentatively placing a hand on his shoulder. "Solor, I understand you love your mother very much... but clinging to the past like this is very unhealthy."

Solor sighed, looking over at her, giving her a small, sad smile. "I know... thank you for listening to me." He got up, walking over to the kitchen. "I shall cook for us tonight. I hope you don't mind some burgers."

Meanwhile, Raven was staring at where he had been. Her cheeks were again tinged with pink, and after a moment, she finally shook her head, sighing lightly.

_Stupid pheromones..._

XxXxXxX

That night, Raven had trouble getting comfortable. She was in her room, but she felt a bit too wired to go to bed. Every time she started to feel tired, an image of Solor's shirtless body would snap to the front of her thoughts, and she was forced to try and focus on something else.

_Stupid dragon pheromones_, she grumbled to herself. _Ever since his birthday, the little things are driving me nuts. Why can't he stop producing them? He said it would be easier on us..._ She let out a soft sigh. _Just deal with it, Raven... I have to be strong for him. He's at a weak, low point in his life, and he needs me and the team to support him._

A familiar pang of unease hit her mind, and she knew Solor was probably staring at his bed, regarding it like an enemy once more. Normally, she would be forced to wait for him to just muscle through it, and go to sleep. She hated this moment; once he was asleep, she'd feel his fear, and while she could still sleep, it would affect her own, thanks to her empathic powers.

But this time... it was just the two of them. She could do more to help him now.

After a quick spell, she appeared outside of his room. She gave a soft knock, tapping his door with her knuckles. "Solor, it's me. Can I come in?"

There was a pause, before he reluctantly opened the door. "What's up?" he asked.

"Solor, I know you're terrified of going back to sleep", she said bluntly. "And don't deny that you are; I can feel your fear, and I'll know you're lying." When he said nothing to protest her statement, she continued. "I can help you out, if you want me to."

"I would... appreciate that", he told her. "But I don't know how you would be able to help me without staying by my side."

"That would actually be the first step", she said, causing him to widen his eyes in shock. "Part of why you're scared, Solor, is because you're alone. You were alone when Slade caught you by surprise. You were alone when Vilea drained you of your DNA. You were alone, trapped in your body, and no one could hear you... no one but me."

Solor's jaw dropped slightly. "You... you heard me screaming for help?"

"I heard you", she confirmed. "I heard you calling to us all. I couldn't pinpoint you right away, but I knew something was wrong. And I'm sorry I couldn't get to you faster. But... if you let me stay with you, I can help jumpstart the healing. Just for tonight."

Solor looked down at the empath, tilting his head as he regarded her carefully. Emerald met amethyst, and for a moment, they stared at each other. Finally, he backed down. "Very well... but I insist you stay in the bed. I shall sleep on the floor."

"Solor, you don't have to-"

"Raven, I'm a _dragon_", he said, stopping her sentence. "In my true form, there is no spring mattress that is big enough for me. I can sleep on the floor comfortably. I insist." When she had no argument, she lay down on the bed, while he shifted into a smaller draconic form. He reached over to his nightstand with his head, staring at a small candle. With a simple huff, he lit it with a tiny flame, before his tail reached around, turning off the light above their heads.

"You have a night light?" she asked, looking at the candle.

"It is calming to see the light", he told her. "The darkness, to me... is unsettling as of late." He coiled up next to the bed, glancing over at her. "Good night, Raven."

"Good night, Solor", she replied, watching as his head lay down, close to the bed. She watched as his eyes closed, and waited carefully. It only took a few moments for his breathing to slow, and soon, he was taking deep, even breaths, signaling he had just fallen asleep.

At that moment, Raven reached over, gently placing her hand on his head. _I don't sense any mental shields... I should be able to get in without any problems. _With a short chant of her mantra, Raven could feel the real world around her fading away, as she entered his dream.

So far, from what she could see, it was starting out normally. Solor was in the tower, with the rest of the team, socializing as normal. Beast Boy was sitting with Terra, Cyborg was working on the computer, Robin was pushing for training sessions, Starfire was talking about some sort of alien dish she wanted him to try, and the dream Raven was sitting on the couch, reading her book quietly. Solor sat in the middle of it all, his eyes closed as he listened to his friends around him. And the vibes she was getting told her he was truly happy to be here.

_Curious_, she thought to herself. _He's never shown a lot of happiness whenever he hung out with us in real life... is this another state brought on by the attack?_

However, as she watched, the dream shifted at an alarmingly quick speed. In fact, the sound around them suddenly cut out, and he was now alone, strapped to that chair again. His eyes shot open, as he looked around, suddenly filled with fear. A harsh, vicious laughter echoed in the room, as he stared at a pair of red eyes staring back at him.

"Enjoy your free time?" came the voice. The familiar figure of Vilea walked into the room, staring at him with malicious glee. "I hope you did", she said softly, "because it's time to get back to work. I need more from you, Mosquito. And you don't have a choice; you'll stay here and give me all that I need for as long as I need you."

Solor began shaking in the chair, tugging at his bonds, and yet he could not break free, no matter how hard he pulled. "Someone!" he yelled, his voice overflowing with fear. "Anyone! Starfire! Robin! Raven! Help me!"

"Your friends can't help you this time", Vilea said, smirking as she wrapped her fingers around his chin, forcing him to stare at her. "They don't care about you. It took them so long to find you last time because they didn't _want _to save you. You're just a monster; and inhuman piece of filth that they have to bear as their burden. A rabid dog who will bite the hand that feeds it. Why would they help you?"

At this, Raven had enough. The minute she had seen her, the dragon was causing her to become angry, until her own eyes were glowing red. Finally, she practically screamed her spell. "AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!" The black dragon was pulled away harshly, tossed aside as if she was a rag doll. Raven flew over to Solor's side, undoing his bonds. "Solor, this is a dream! You have to fight it!"

Solor looked at Raven, shocked. "R-Raven...?"

"This is a dream! It's all in your head! You can stop this!" she told him. "She is nothing to you!"

"But... she is so strong", Solor told her, his eyes wide in fear. "She was able to incapacitate me so easily..."

"Because she got the drop on you!" Raven told him. "She had to resort to such an underhanded attack because she couldn't fight you head on! What happened to the dragon who attacked the leader of the Death Clan?! What happened to the dragon who faced the Circle and dared to call them 'bigoted old ones'?!"

Solor stared at her, and then his eyes shifted. For the first time since his return... he looked angry.

He looked like the Solor she had met that fateful night.

He stood up, glaring at the dream Vilea that was staring at him. "Begone", he said softly. "Begone from this place and disturb me no longer."

Vilea snarled, attempting to sway him back to fear. "I will come back for you, Filkiin, Heir to the Light."

"And I will be waiting, Vilea... Heiress to the Darkness", Solor said with resolve. "You will return night after night... and I will be waiting, ready to fight you."

After that, the room and the dragon faded away, leaving Solor and Raven floating in the darkness. The bronze figure turned, smiling at Raven. "Thank you, my friend... I am glad you helped me."

"Same here", she told him. "Maybe now you can finally get some decent rest." She started to leave. "Well, my job is done. I should be going back to my room-"

Her words, however, were stopped when she felt a hand pulling at her shoulder. She turned back to him, seeing him looking at her.

"Please... stay", he requested. "Just for tonight. I fear that I may lose myself to fear once more if you leave me too quickly."

She wanted to protest, and leave his dream once more, but one look into his eyes broke her will to exit. She gave a soft sigh. "Fine... but only because you're still recovering."

"Thank you", Solor said. He looked around, seeing nothing but endless darkness. "So... this is all a dream?"

"Yes", Raven said. "Thanks to my interference, I think you may be able to do whatever you want now. Just think of it, and it'll happen."

Solor glanced over at her. "Truly? I've never been in control of my dreams before..." He thought carefully, and soon determined a scenario. The darkness melted away, and soon they saw a cloudy sky, with rain falling from the foreboding shadows above them.

Raven's eyebrow quirked, looking around. Instead of anywhere she knew, she only saw piles of boulders, with distinct markings on them. "Solor? Where are we?"

"The land where my mother rests", Solor told her. "I never got to sing the song here... this'll be a substitute until I can return home someday." He looked to her. "I hope you do not mind joining me..."

"No, you asked me to stay", Raven told her friend, shaking her head. "Go ahead. I'll be here."

The dragon nodded, before turning back to a specific stone, which Raven surmised was his mother's tombstone. Slowly, the dragon began to sing, in a language she did not understand. However, as she listened, she felt something... old in the words. Something very primal and very sad tugged at her heart. Even though she did not know what he was singing, she felt more sorrow in this moment than she ever felt in her entire life. Even knowing what would happen next seemed like only a minor moment compared to what she heard.

Even despite the sadness, Solor sang. She could see tears forming in his eyes and freely flowing down his cheeks, down to his chin, but he paid them no mind. Instead, he closed his eyes, still singing, and Raven noticed that the raging fear and sorrow in his heart seemed to melt away. It was as if forcing these words, this _spell _to escape his very soul seemed to help him heal slowly and steadily.

After what stretched out to be an eternity, the skies began to clear, showing a blue more beautiful than any she had seen in the real world. The sun seemed to glow brighter than she remembered, and at last, Solor stopped his song. He let out a sniffle, wiping his tears away, before placing his hand on the tomb. A few soft words were spoken, before he turned to Raven. "Thank you, my friend", he told her. "You have given me a gift greater than any I have ever received."

"It's nothing", Raven said, wiping away her own tears. "It's... so sad. I never felt such sadness before, and I couldn't even understand your words."

"Songs are an expression of the very soul to us", Solor answered her. "You not only heard my song, but heard the broken state of my very spirit. I have reached my limit... if I were not to finally sing this melody, I would become a cracked, irreparable mess."

"The death of one's mother does not just do this", Raven murmured. "You were singing for the family you've lost before, weren't you?"

"I was", Solor told her. "I miss her very much... and I wish I knew my siblings better before they were taken." The sun seemed to glow brighter, and he let out a sigh. "The dream is ending... I shall see you in the morning, then?"

Raven felt a twist in her own heart. She wanted nothing more than to say she wanted to stay here, but she had to put on the monotone facade once more. "Yeah", she said. "I'll be in the tower all day."

"Good", Solor said. He placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a big grin as their surroundings became brighter, almost hurting their eyes to see. "Then... thank you once more, Raven. See you on the other side."

And with that, the two rejoined the waking world.

**XxXxXxX**

**The Dark Lord of Chaos: Glad you like how Solor pissed him off. Superman used to be one of my favorite heroes as a kid, but now... meh, he's okay, but he has fallen from grace in my eyes. And look forward to more moments like that; Superman is not gonna get along with Solor ever.**


	9. Birthmark

After that night, Raven found herself staring at Solor more often, observing him. She noticed that after he had sung for his mother in the dream, he was actually happier; not just acting as such, but truly felt happier. He worked very hard, and the best part was probably that he no longer was having nightmares. He was grateful to her, and asked if he could call her Ruuvak, which was simply her name in his own language. She consented, but again cursed him.

Her own emoticlones were acting up a lot more as of late, and she placed that blame on Solor. _Stupid dragon pheromones_, she thought to herself once more.

However, this time, a familiar voice responded in her head. _Why are you cursing Solor?_

_You know why, Knowledge_, Raven thought bitterly. _His stupid pheromones are distracting me. It's bad enough that I had those... thoughts on his birthday, but now I find myself staring at him at odd times, and being near him makes my heart beat ten times faster._

There was a moment of silence. Then, Knowledge responded with, _You need to come to Nevermore. I think you need to learn something here._

Raven's eyebrow raised, but she knew Knowledge never requested her presence without reason. So, she immediately went to her room, grabbing her mirror and entering her own mind.

The familiar empty path was quiet for once; not even the birds that plagued the road were speaking. In fact, she noted that they were gone, which was odd to her; they've always been watching her for as long as she could remember. Eventually, she entered Happy's realm, and scrunched her nose as the scents of a thousand flowers hit her nostrils. She looked forward, seeing her emotions and Knowledge waiting for her. A familiar flash of pink hit her as she stumbled with a grunt, and a high-pitched giggle reached her ears.

"Raven! It's so good to see you!" Happy said with a giggle, hugging Raven tightly. "You haven't visited in a while!"

"I wonder why", she said dryly, before eventually getting free from Happy's arms. "What's going on!"

Happy tilted her head first, before suddenly her mouth made an "o" shape. "Oh, Raven, it's wonderful! Come on, come on! We have great news for you!"

"When you say it, that just makes me dread it more", Raven grumbled, but she followed the pink-clad emoticlone. Knowledge looked up, fixing her yellow glasses before motioning for Raven to step beside her.

"Hey, it's mopey-butt", the orange clone said.

"Not now, Rude", Knowledge said politely. "We have news for you, Raven."

"Happy said it's 'wonderful', whatever it is", Raven responded.

"To an optimist like Happy, everything is wonderful", Knowledge countered. "However, this might be met with... mixed reviews." She took a deep breath, before speaking up. "We have a new arrival."

"Wait, what?" Raven asked, her eyes already growing big. "How?"

"She arrived a week after Solor's birthday", Knowledge stated. "She started off weak, like the rest of us did... but as time passed and you spent it with our bronze friend... she grew in strength, at an alarmingly rapid rate. She is now a permanent resident here, though she is sharing the space with Happy."

"Hence why Happy is so excited about it", Raven mused. "Where is she?"

"She doesn't move a lot", Bravery stated. "I've tried to get her to move from the tree over there, but unless it has something to do with her interests, she doesn't do a lot. Even if I drag her over here, she'd just find her way back in no time."

"What's her name?" Raven asked, looking at the green clone. "I need to know what this emotion is."

"Um..." came the quiet voice of Timid, who was pointing over to a tree Raven had not noticed before. "She's right over there... you should probably meet her." She then seemed to realize she was the center of attention, an quickly put her hood up, blushing. "I'm sorry..."

Raven sighed gently, before moving to see this new resident. As she got close, she could hear the new clone humming a familiar tune... though what it was she did not know. Eventually she stepped over a root, and finally spotted a Raven wearing a purple cloak. She had her eyes closed, and a truly happy smile as she hummed a bit.

"Who are you?" Raven asked. "Which emotion do you represent?"

The purple-clad girl stopped humming, looking up at the original. "Oh, hello. Sorry, how long have you been there?" The look in her eyes told Raven that this emoticlone was distracted. "I apologize... I was thinking about the song, and tuned out everything else..."

Raven wasn't sure what to make of this one. The others were pretty straightforward about their personalities, but this one was... aloof. She didn't even say her name yet. "You didn't answer my question."

"Oh, did I?" The purple clad Raven stood up, sighing. "You're right, I didn't... how rude of me." She looked into the original's eyes. "I'm the part of you that's distracted by Solor's pheromones."

"That... doesn't tell me much", Raven said, her eyes narrowing.

"But doesn't it?" the purple one said. She looked over Raven's shoulders. "Knowledge, what is the rate of pheromones that our draconic friend lets out on a daily basis?"

Raven turned to see the yellow emoticlone, fixing her glasses again. "According to Solor... his pheromones are reduced to ten percent of what he released on his birthday. At that rate... we wouldn't even notice on a day to day basis. Life would be going on as normal."

"Then..." Raven said softly, her eyes growing wide. "Then why am I...?"

"Because of me", the purple clone said. "My name... is Affection. Stronger than a Crush... but not as strong as Love." She smiled happily. "And being so close to Starborn... has strengthened my abilities very much so. I wish to be there for him..."

Knowledge, however, coughed uncomfortably. "Herein is the problem. Affection cares only about bringing you and Solor closer... and we know the day is coming soon. Which means..."

"... this couldn't have come at a worse time", Raven determined. "The prophecy..."

"To hell with that prophecy", Affection stated calmly, surprising Raven. "I believe we can beat this."

Raven's blood boiled at that. "Believe all you want... it doesn't change a thing."

With that, the empath returned to the mortal world, more upset than when she entered Nevermore.

XxXxXxX

"Once I drain the energy from 50,000 barrels of oil, I'll flood the city in never-ending daylight!"

The madman would have gotten away with it... had the oil rig not been set up only a few miles away from the city's coast.

"You know, Dr. Light, for a villain obsessed with illumination... you're not very bright", Robin stated bluntly, his arms crossed.

"Next time you want to steal something, you should pick a target we can't see from our living room", Raven stated, moving aside to show the tower had a plain view of the rig. Dr. Light stared in astonishment, as if it was the first time he noticed that.

"Oh... well..." The villain, unsure of what to say, simply decided to attack, charging his weapons in hand. Solor, however, stood in the way, blocking the blast with his wings.

"Seriously, this has to be the biggest joke we've ever had to deal with", Solor grumbled. "On my first mission back with the team, too..."

"Deal with it", Robin said. "It's probably better this way, with someone we know we can beat."

At that moment, Cyborg was sent flying off of the platform, into the water below, while Starfire was knocked over to the far side of the rig, dazed from the hit. "We need to draw his fire!" Robin shouted to Beast Boy.

"I gotcha covered!" the green teen yelled. "Hey, dude! Nice pajamas! Do they glow in the dark?" The shapeshifter let out a laugh at his terrible joke, before letting out a loud yelp before morphing into a bat and flying out of the way of the beams of light being flung his way.

While the villain was distracted, Solor was able to get in close, starting to swing his claws as he smirked. "This pathetic attack of yours is supposed to be made of light?" Solor snarled as he managed to grab onto Dr. Light's whip, glaring at him. "Don't make me laugh." He swung the villain onto a lower platform, where he got up, glaring indignantly.

"No one defeats Dr. Light!" the man yelled, getting ready to charge another attack. "NO ONE!"

However, Raven's voice echoed, "Remember me?" The man turned around, stared at the empath for a minute, then turned back, his face considerably paler than earlier and the energy built up in his hands fading.

"I would like to go to jail now, please."

The team smirked as Dr. Light surrendered, Cyborg pulling himself onto the rig again. "Alright then", he said, smiling. "The day is saved and it's almost midnight. Time for donuts."

"You guys go ahead without me", Raven responded immediately.

"Friend Raven, you do not wish to partake in the nuts of dough?" Starfire asked, floating in the air. "It is like eating sweet, tiny wheels!"

"I... I just want to get home before tomorrow comes."

Solor frowned at that, but did not push the matter. "Very well, Ruuvak. We will see you later."

"What's so important about tomorrow?" Beast Boy asked, as Raven started flying back to the tower.

XxXxXxX

"Tell me again why we are doing this?" Solor said. "I do not think Ruuvak will enjoy the surprise."

He was watching as the team toiled at their task. Beast Boy had done some snooping, and found out today was Raven's birthday. She was going to be turning seventeen today, and while Solor understood the importance of birthdays to mortals... he also knew that this might end very badly.

"Because it's her birthday!" Beast Boy said. "She's gotta come out and be happy today! I just know it!"

Terra was still helping her boyfriend out, but she also had a worried look. "I dunno, BB... Raven's not one for parties. Or surprises. Or what most of us call fun."

"Well, she'll be having a hard time saying no once she sees the cake I'm baking her", Cyborg said with a giddy grin. "And we all know she wants to smack the Beast Boy Piñata around."

Solor, however, wasn't convinced. "I will go and talk to her, warn her of your plan", he stated, heading out.

Starfire, however, pulled him back. "You must not! That will ruin the surprise!"

"That's the point", Solor told the tamaranean. "She was on edge last night, and she has not left her room at all except to drink and use the washrooms. Otherwise, she has become more secluded than ever. Something is wrong, and I wish to help her."

Starfire stared at Solor for a moment, looking in his eyes. Finally, she sighed, letting go of his shoulder. "Very well... just let her know we are the thinking of her."

With that, Solor walked out of the living room, finding his way down the hall. It was about three in the afternoon at this point, so he knew she would be awake. Once he came to her door, he gently knocked. "Ruuvak? It is Solor... are you alright?"

The door opened only slightly, revealing her face. To those that did not know her well, she would look normal, but he could see the faintest hints of worry in her eyes. "Yes. I'm fine, Solor."

The dragon, however, was not convinced. "No, you're not. I can tell. You've been in my head twice now, Raven, and while I may not have seen memories or dreams like you have... I know something is wrong."

"I'm fine", she insisted, starting to close the door.

"Then you are okay with knowing that the others are putting together a birthday party for you?"

The door froze just before it closed fully, and soon was opened completely, showing her angry expression. "How did they find out?"

"Beast Boy did some snooping", Solor stated. "He found restricted files, with one of them telling us that today is your birthday. Is that why you hide yourself away?"

"... I just don't like parties", Raven responded, though mentally she winced. He would never believe that.

"I know it's more than that", he told her. "You've seen my mind, Ruuvak. Let me see what is troubling yours."

"Solor, you know me better than anyone else", Raven said, sighing. "You should know there are places in my mind you should never go, where no one should ever go."

"I can try, if you would let me", Solor stated.

"Trust me, Starborn", she said, getting a raised eyebrow in response. "If you knew anything about my birthday... you'd know that there is nothing to celebrate." With that, the door was closed, and Solor was left outside to stare for a minute. Without another word, he headed back to the living room, walking in and being greeted by expectant looks.

"So? What did she say?" Terra asked. "She probably told you to put all of this stuff away."

"Don't tell me all my toiling at this oven has resulted to nothing", Cyborg said.

"She said... if we knew anything about her birthday, then we'd know there is nothing to celebrate", Solor stated. "She is very troubled... something about today is concerning her. But what it is..." He scratched his head, thinking carefully. "Something about this day is important to my people as well... but I cannot remember what it is..."

The Titans looked in surprise. Beast Boy and Starfire looked like they wanted to ask more, but the dragon moved away. "I shall be in my room for the rest of the night. I need to think."

XxXxXxX

The Heir of Light's attempts to think were stifled greatly by his worrying over Raven. Whenever he thought of something that might connect today to an important event, he would pause, wondering if Raven was alright. This lasted for six hours, until he heard a familiar cry in the night.

"Nooo!" was the faint voice, but he recognized it right away. Quickly, his door flew open as he ran down the hall, pounding the door that Raven was behind. When she opened, she seemed out of breath, slightly panicked.

"Ruuvak, are you alright?" he asked, his own eyes wide. Unfortunately, that was all that he was able to say, before the alarm went off.

The team immediately checked the report, and headed out to the factory that was broken into.

"So, who's the bad guy?" Cyborg asked. "Gizmo? Mad Mod? Killer Moth?"

"The report only said that there was an intruder", Starfire stated.

"Well, whoever it is, we're gonna kick their-" Terra was stopped as she ran into Solor's back. The dragon stared into the shadows, and her jaw dropped as well, once she saw who he was staring at.

"It's been a long tim, hasn't it, Titans?" the cool voice said. "How long has it been? A month? A year? A millennia?" There was a low chuckle. "Much too long for my tastes."

"How...?" Cyborg said. "How did you survive?"

"I killed you", Solor said, a low growl on his lips. "I watched the life fade from your eyes... you should be dead..."

"Slade", Robin said with a snarl. "I don't know where you've been, but you shouldn't have come back."

"Oh, but I needed to." That was when Slade's mask came into clear view, and Solor spotted the fiery mark emblazoned on the metal. His eyes widened as he looked at the stylized S, marked with a couple specks near the top tip and the lower curve of the letter.

"The Mark..." he whispered.

That was when the fire came out of his hands, chasing down Raven and forcing her to use her powers to evade.

"Have you ever had one of those days where you're just happy to be alive?" Slade asked, a malicious glee in his tone.

"Dude..." Terra said, her eyes wide as the team regrouped.

"Since when can Slade do that?!" Cyborg yelled out.

"Not sure", Robin said, watching Slade jump down with his hands glowing with fire. "But he won't be doing it for long."

However, Solor let out an inhumane roar, his green eyes glowing. "EVERYONE, BACK!" he snarled. "THIS ONE IS MINE!" He flapped his wings hard, grabbing Slade and pushing him back.

"As energetic as ever, Starborn", Slade said with a tsk. "But I'm not here for you this time. So, kindly get out of my way." With strength he definitely did not have before, he was able to easily throw the dragon away, sending Solor flying off with no way of correcting his trajectory.

Cyborg, Starfire, and Terra also took their turns, throwing rocks, starbolts and a sonic blast at the villain, but Slade merely blocked the attacks with his fire, somehow appearing on the scaffolding he had jumped off of in an instant. Robin attempted to freeze the villain with his disks, but Slade only broke out, easily one-upping the team.

Raven and Beast Boy also attacked, with similar results as he focused on Starfire now, actually catching a starbolt with his fire and throwing it back at her. While he was distracted, Cyborg had latched onto a really large piston in the factory, swinging it from the side and attempting to hit Slade like a baseball... but the piston melted as it came in contact with the resurrected man, cutting it clean in half.

"Whoa", Cyborg let out, rendered speechless.

"'Whoa'? That's it? No clever comment?" Slade turned to the metal teen, smirking. "I was looking forward to that..." When Cyborg attempted to strike him again, he merely flicked the teen in the face, sending Cyborg flying into Raven.

Beast Boy tried next, carrying Terra on his back as he turned into a styracosaur, but a simple touch to the ground made the support underneath them break, and Terra had to save them and allow them to regroup again. Robin took this opportunity to force Slade away from the group, into an isolated area, while Solor finally was able to return to the fight. He spotted Raven attempting to help Cyborg up, and flew down.

"Ruuvak", he said, looking the empath in the eye. One glance at her told him she knew what this was about... and he knew about that mark.

"I just want this day to end", Raven said softly.

"I think we both know this day is far from over", came Slade's voice, as he landed nearby. "Hello, birthday girl. Ready for your present?"

Solor stood in the way, snarling as his eyes began glowing again. "You will stay back... demon pawn!"

Raven's eyes widened. Did he know...?

"And yet you help her", Slade said. "No matter... I have a message to deliver." And with an inhuman speed, he was past the dragon, grabbing Raven's wrist as she let out a grunt of pain. Fortunately, Solor grabbed Slade and ripped him away from his friend, throwing him up into the machinery.

"Ruuvak! Are you alright?!" he asked, moving to look at her wrist, but she covered it up.

"It has begun", Slade said, sounding as if he hadn't just been thrown through a steel wall. Energy began sparking from him as the building began to fall down around them, gears many times larger than them falling and destroying the floor. The Titans were forced to start retreating, with Solor moving to aid Robin in the escape. However...

The next thing he knew, Raven had a hand on his shoulder, and Robin suddenly felt cold. He glanced around, seeing that it looked like everything had stopped. "Ruuvak...?" he asked softly, before darkness surrounded him. Again, the scenery changed, and he was outside in the city, with the same frozen feeling still pervading him. "Ruuvak, what is going on?" he asked. "How... how did you stop time?!"

"I'm not sure", Raven said, gripping her exposed wrist. Solor noted that it was the same spot where Slade had touched her. "I didn't want this day to come... and when it did, I just wanted it to stop. I guess I got my wish."

"Ruuvak... that mark on Slade's forehead... what is going on?" Solor asked once more.

"It's my birthday", Raven answered gravely, glaring up at a building as Slade once again appeared, staring her down.

Solor stood in the way once more, snarling. "I will end this. Run!" he yelled to the empath, who did nothing to stop Solor and instead took off. With her out of the way, the dragon unleashed a vicious attack, punching and kicking Slade as hard as he could, before piercing his claws into Slade's torso again. However, he looked down, seeing no blood, and his own ran cold, as he looked back up at Slade, who only smirked back at him.

"You... you're not alive..." Solor said with a startled realization. "Why...?"

"Because, Starborn of the Light", Slade said with a smug satisfaction. "You can't kill what is already dead." With that, he used the fires he had been blessed with to cause an explosion, forcing the dragon into a building and actually hurting him quite a bit.

The explosion forced Raven to return, praying the dragon was still alive, as Slade continued his mission. "I have a message for you, whether you like it or not." The purple-haired empath tried using her powers to stop him, but no matter what she threw at him, he walked through it all without it even phasing him. "Skies will burn. Flesh will become stone. The sun will set on your world, never to rise again." He vanished into red energy, appearing behind Raven and grabbing her by the shoulders. When he released her again, her shoulders were exposed, showing off similar markings to what had appeared on her wrist and his forehead. "Time won't wait forever. You can't runaway from who you are."

"I can try", Raven said in an icy tone, covering her shoulders with her hands before using her powers to slam huge boulders into Slade. She knew it wouldn't stop him, but damn it, she was gonna try. She then turned and flew over to Solor, calling out his name as he shakily stood up. Raven grabbed his arm, throwing it around her shoulders as she began to run into a church.

_Desperate times call for desperate measures_, she thought, noting the irony of her entering the cathedral. "I didn't want to drag you into this", she told Solor as she helped him sit on the floor. "Any of you... but you're in. And I have to tell you."

"The mark..." Solor whispered to her, looking at her in the eye. "He's... he's coming... isn't he?"

Raven's eyes grew wide. "H-How did you...?"

That was when Slade attacked again, easily throwing Solor aside and knocking him out.

"It's just you and me now, kid", Slade said with a smirk. Those words alone forced Raven to run, and the mercenary gave chase.

While they took off, Solor slowly stood up again, forcing himself to get up by willpower alone. He grabbed onto his arm, which was badly injured now, and snarled a bit.

"She is tied to him", Solor muttered. "She is tied to that... demon... the devourer of worlds..." He stood up straighter. "But she does not wish to aid him... That much is certain." He straightened his wings, forcing himself to fly. As he left the building, he saw that time had resumed, and somehow knew he needed to hurry. He flew as fast and hard as he could, and eventually spotted Raven and Slade on a building, with Raven beginning to fall down.

"We'll be in touch", Slade said. "Oh... and happy birthday." With that, the villain vanished, while Solor dove down, using his good arm to catch Raven. He flew down as quickly as he could, landing on the ground and keeping her in his arm. As soon as they landed, he noted that more of her leotard had been destroyed, and there was a lot more skin than he knew she'd be comfortable with. Thinking quickly, his wings wrapped around the two of them, covering her from prying eyes.

"Solor...?" she whispered, almost as if she was waking up.

"Let's go home", he told her. "Contact the team... my arm... I can't reach my communicator..."

XxXxXxX

It hadn't taken long for the team to find them. But they were surprised when they saw the dragon covering Raven with his wings. Even when they were aided by Terra, using rocks to carry them, Solor refused to move his wings until they were safely in front of her door. Only when she was inside her room and away from the others did he finally ask for aid with treating his arm. "It'll be fine in a few days, but I need a sling until then", he had requested.

Now he was in the med bay once more, Starfire using a cloth to help bring his arm into a sling. "May I ask what happened?" she said. "One moment, you were fighting Slade with us in the factory, and the next, you were on the other side of the city, using your wings to cover her up."

Solor looked over at Starfire, pondering for a minute. He could tell the alien what's going on; that a terrible evil was coming. That Raven was involved in this somehow, though he wasn't sure what her part to play was. But as soon as the idea came up, he felt the need to keep silent.

"Slade was simply stronger than we expected", Solor stated. "Ruuvak's emotional state triggered a freeze in time, but other than that, I cannot tell you much."

Starfire stared at him for a moment, before suddenly tightening the sling, eliciting a low growl. "Since when do you call Raven a name in your own tongue?"

Solor's face heated up a bit, but he snarled a bit. "That is my business, Kreinyol", he said, glaring at her a bit. "You have no reason to ask why."

She sighed a bit. "I suppose not... but I wish you do not give her the hopes like you had given me."

Solor's face turned a bright red. "Kreinyol, I do not feel for her that way, and she does not for me! We are simply friends... and she has helped me a lot with my recovery. If it were not for her, I would not be there to fight Slade today. Please... do not take this the wrong way."

"I will not", Starfire told him. "Come; we are getting the party ready again. She deserves some of the happiness with her friends."

Solor sighed, and finally got up, following her to the living room. But what had happened today wasn't over.

It was only the beginning.

**XxXxXxX**

**No reviews as of yet. I'll edit the chapter to include more once I've received some for last chapter; I do enjoy replying to them.**


	10. Troq

**Gonna be honest… this chapter turned out way different than I planned. Hope you guys like it.**

XxXxXxX

While Solor recovered quickly from his battle with Slade, Raven did not. She knew her part in the plans for the future, and she was searching high and low, in any part of any book she could find for a way to stop this day from happening. As time went on, though, more adventures ended up putting her search on hold, including an incident where Cyborg was thrown to the early history of man, and Beast Boy actually got a job to pay for a gift for Terra.

During that second incident, there was some plot that had something to do with aliens and cows... but Solor didn't really want to remember that; it was much too weird to put logic to it. In the end, though, Beast Boy did make enough money to buy a small hairclip for Terra, which she loved, showing her affection by kissing his blushing green face over and over.

The adventure today, though, involved another alien attack... one that was much more serious this time. The team was playing a game of Old Maid, and while Solor himself did not play, he was watching with quiet interest.

"So... why is it bad to be the Old Maid?" he asked calmly. Some of the rules still went over his head, but he was trying his best to learn. However, this question was quickly forgotten, as a shadow flew by the tower, causing the building to shake as a loud rumble filled the air.

"Whoa! What was that?" Cyborg asked, shocked.

"Wasn't me", Terra immediately defended; she still had a bad habit of trying to defend herself whenever there was a minor earthquake.

"Giant worms?" Beast Boy guessed. That was when a large, metallic object flew by, chased by smaller, more agile ships.

"Uh... no", Raven said in her usual monotone, before everyone got up at Robin's urging. Solor sighed.

"Just when it was becoming interesting", he said softly before flapping his wings and chasing after his friends, the cards forgotten and scattered all over the table now. Immediately they all moved up to the roof, where they could watch the sky battle easier. There were a few quick maneuvers in the air, and Solor saw the bigger ship shoot down one of the two smaller ones.

"Whoever he is, the guy's a good pilot", Cyborg commented.

"He's a _great _pilot", Robin corrected, staring in awe. The group watched as the alien from the larger ship, a man who looked to be made of silver, jumped off of the larger spaceship, and land on the other. With a mighty swing, the man's hands hit the hull, and suddenly the ship careened off course, heading to the city.

"He just took down that ship... with his bare hands", Solor stated, his own eyes wide.

"Come on, man, you can do it", Cyborg muttered, staring at the alien. None of them were fast enough; they wouldn't be able to stop the craft from crashing at this point. There was a collective gasp as the silver man managed to force the craft to veer a sharp right, crashing into the surrounding forest.

"Is he...?" Starfire asked, and the implication hit the rest of the team. They quickly moved, flying over to the field. Thankfully, upon their arrival, the silver man walked out of the flames, giving them a cocky grin.

"It takes more than a plasmatic implosion to take down Val Yor", the man said to them.

"That was some amazing flying", Robin told the man as he walked closer.

"Thanks", the alien said, before introducing himself. "Val Yor of Vernathia. Pleased to meet you."

"I'm Robin", their leader stated. "We're the Teen Titans. That's Raven", he said, pointing to the goth who actually waved, "Beast Boy", as the green boy gave a sheepish smile, "Terra", as the blonde gave a peace sign and her own cocky grin.

"Cyborg", the metal teen said with a smirk. "Man, you know how to make an entrance."

"All in a day's work", Val Yor responded.

"You do that every day?" Beast Boy asked, his eyes growing wide with awe.

"No, normally I fight more than just two", the man said with a smirk.

"So, today's slow, then?" Terra asked.

"Exactly", Val Yor stated, before noticing Solor. "Well, there's something I haven't seen before. What do they call you?"

"I am Solor", the draconic Titan said. However, the team noticed he was being especially reserved, despite the fact that he had been watching with excitement only a few minutes ago. They'd have to ask him about that later.

"Pleasure to meet you, Solor", Val Yor stated, offering his hand. However, the dragon did not return the gesture.

"Sorry about him", Raven stated, hoping Val Yor wouldn't pick up on the vibes. "He's not keen on strangers."

The silver man only laughed. "Well, I'm sure I'll win him over, yet." Then the man noticed Starfire, and his smirk vanished.

"Val Yor, I welcome you to Earth!" Starfire said with a cheerful smile, missing the fact that he didn't look happy to see her.

"I see you have a Tamaranean", Val Yor said to Robin, ignoring her greeting. Solor's eyes narrowed at that.

"Yeah, Starfire's part of the team", Robin stated.

"So, who were those guys?" Cyborg asked.

"They weren't guys at all", Val Yor responded, his smirk returning.

The conversation continued at the Tower, where Val Yor shared a few images and videos. The images on screen were disturbing; they looked like biological beings encased in a crude, mechanical hull. Massive gauntlets covered their massive hands, with black, straight claws jutting out. They all had a red pattern where their faces should be, replacing expression with unblinking red lights.

"The Locrix are vicious fighting machines", Val Yor stated.

"Machines?" Robin asked.

"And I had a difficult time understanding devices in this world..." Solor grumbled.

"What do they want?" Terra prodded.

"What they want is total galactic annihilation", Val Yor continued. "The Locrix think they are superior to organics, and they are determined to wipe us out." At that statement, more images appeared on screen, showing frightened aliens either fleeing or charging into battle with the machines... and losing badly.

"But you have defeated them, yes?" Starfire asked hopefully.

"Those two were just scouts", he stated. "There's a lot more where they came from."

"It sounds like you have a lot of experience with them", Cyborg mentioned.

"I've been fighting the krixies for as long as I can remember", Val Yor said, and Solor got a vibe of him rubbing his own ego. "They tried to take over Vernathia, but I wasn't about to let that happen." At his words, again, a new image popped up, this time showing Val Yor being victorious against this new threat.

"So, how do we stop them from taking over Earth?" Robin asked.

"I'm on a mission to hit them where they live: Sentien, the mother planet. And I've got a class five Quantum Eradicator. Once I plug it into their core, it'll shut them down forever."

"We'd like to help", Robin stated, while Solor glared at his leader.

"I could use all the help I can get, but I must warn you it will be dangerous", Val Yor told them. "The Krixies are tough; they won't back down without a fight."

"Neither will we", Solor finally said, standing up. "We will aid you to the best of our ability, Val Yor."

That got a smile out of the silver man.

XxXxXxX

On the ship, Robin was placed in charge of navigation, Cyborg got to take the steering, and Beast Boy and Raven manned the blasters. Terra, unfortunately, wasn't able to come along.

"I can only move rocks and dirt", she stated. "I won't be much help in a metal box. Just take a lot of pictures for me."

Val Yor turned to Solor next. "You said you're not good with technology, so how about, if there's a problem, you and I will take out any invaders on the ship."

"Very well", Solor said to him, before turning to Starfire. "Kreinyol, shall we take a walk?"

"Kreinyol?" Val Yor asked, raising an eyebrow. "That's what you call her?"

Solor turned to the man, glaring a bit. "Indeed. It is simply the words 'Sun' and 'Fire' in my native tongue. I gave her this name a while ago."

"Alright", Val Yor said with his hands up, "I didn't mean to insult you."

At that very moment, there was an explosion on the ship, and a map popped up on screen, a certain area flashing.

"The Locrix?" Robin asked.

"They're after the eradicator", Val Yor confirmed. He turned to Raven, Robin, and Solor. "You three, come with me."

The fact that the Vernathian seemed to be ignoring Starfire altogether, angered Solor, but he did nothing about it. Instead, he focused on the threat at hand. As they fought against the machines, he used his claws to easily rip the metal apart. Using his fire would be a bad idea; if he accidentally hit the eradicator, that could possibly take the ship out by mistake.

Unfortunately for Starfire, she thought of that a tiny bit too late. Using her starbolts in battle caused a Locrix drone to accidentally hit the bomb. It let out a few warning beeps before chirping, showing it was still inactive.

"What are you trying to do?!" Val Yor roared. "Blow up the ship?!"

"I shall be more careful next time", Starfire stated apologetically.

"There won't _be _a next time", the man stated, growling at her. He then took back to the fight, finishing off the last of the invading force. Finally, the last Locrix fell, and it seemed like Val Yor was back to normal. "Good work, team", he said. "Now, head back to the bridge. We need to be ready in case the krixies are foolish enough to launch another attack."

As the three left, he knew Robin and Raven had moved out of earshot, but he could still hear Starfire approach their host. "I wish to apologize", she said. "I did not mean to endanger the ship; I only wished to help."

Val Yor's voice was cold as it echoed in Solor's ears. "I don't need any help from some stupid Troq."

The gasp that Starfire let out told Solor enough, as he abruptly turned around, snarling as he walked back in. "What... did you just say?" he asked, growling.

"She heard me", Val Yor said. "She's a troq - a tamaranean."

Solor turned to Starfire, seeing the crestfallen expression on her face. That was enough to anger him further. "I know not what this word means, Val Yor. But her reaction is the same when one of my own people is called Nivahriin. It is high insult to her, as Nivahriin is to my own people." Solor glared at Val Yor, getting very close and showing off his sharp teeth. "You will refrain from calling her this again... or I shall convince Robin to no longer aid you."

Starfire, however, placed a hand on Solor's shoulder. "Shulkiin, nii los yuvon. Zu'u los yuvon."

Solor's eyebrow raised, as he stared at her incredulously. "Vahzah? Rok ahraan hi."

"I am certain", Starfire told him, her eyes lowering to the ground. "The mission must continue; the Locrix are a large threat to not only our home, but the rest of the galaxy. Do not speak to Robin about this."

Solor let out a growl, but consented, backing down. "Very well." However, he did not speak to Val Yor with the same adoration that the others had.

When the ship met with the Locrix mine field, Solor was immediately against Val Yor's idea of letting Starfire move some out of the way. "Cyborg is a skilled pilot; he can steer the ship while you move the mines out of the way", Solor stated angrily.

"As much as I agree with you, Scales", Val Yor refuted, "I can't afford any chances; if this ship so much as gets too close to one of those mines, everything goes to hell. Besides... her people can withstand the hostile conditions of space. I can't."

Starfire let out a soft sigh. "I shall do this, then; the sooner this threat is neutralized, the sooner we can return to the mission."

Solor leaned back in his seat, snarling a bit.

[You okay?] he heard in his head. He quickly looked to Raven, the only one who could be doing this right now. [I set up a link once I saw you staring at Val Yor with hate. What's going on?]

[This name that he made for her... "Troq"... it is an insult], Solor told her privately. [I know not what it means, but it is clearly an insult to not only Starfire, but all Tamaranean's in general. Her reaction was similar to when a dragon is called Nivahriin - disloyal.]

[... then we'll have to ask her what it means after she gets back], Raven told him, but Solor could feel her anger. [He won't get away with this.]

[I was planning to break his arm after this mission was over], he mused.

[With how strong he is, that might be tough. Want a helping hand?]

[No, but I appreciate the offer.]

[So... this has nothing to do with your old feelings for Starfire?]

[Nothing], Solor stated in his mind. [The day she gave in to her pheromone-induced lust and attempted to take me for her own... my emotions for her died. She is still my friend, though; I would act the same if Val Yor insulted any of you.]

There was a flash of emotion on Raven's end, but it was squashed way too quickly for him to identify what it was. [Alright then... we'll let Starfire decide whether or not we should tell Robin and the boys.]

XxXxXxX

The truth was eventually revealed as the mission continued. Shortly after it was all said and done, with Starfire saving Val Yor from dying with the Locrix, she told the team what troq meant. This alien word meant "nothing"; whenever Val Yor called her this, he was saying she was worthless. She then told her friends that many other planets saw the inhabitants of Tameran as inferior, and that was the name they were called as a result.

Needless to say, Val Yor had overstayed his welcome, despite his lackluster attempts to apologize.

Once the mission was over and everyone started to separate, Robin overheard Solor let out a snort of anger as Val Yor flew off. "Good riddance", he said, before walking inside. "To hear that someone hates Kreinyol for being tamaranean…" Robin's ear perked up, realizing that this was the first time he had used that name since his birthday almost half a year ago. He looked after the dragon, his thoughts racing in his head.

"What's up?" Cyborg asked.

"Solor was the first of us to know that Val Yor was insulting Starfire, right?" he asked.

"Um… yeah, Star said that Solor overheard when the dude called her a troq the first time", Cyborg stated. "He was not happy, just hearing how she reacted to that word."

Robin's lips twitched into a frown. "Why did he have such a hard reaction? He hasn't rushed to her aid like that since his birthday."

Now that Robin mentioned it, Cyborg had noticed a change in behavior since Solor was forced to knock out his best friend to keep her from doing something she would regret. "Maybe it has something to do with his feelings for her?"

"His what now?"

The metal teen had to bite back a smirk, seeing how rapidly the leader had snapped his head once that sentence was out. "Come on, dude, you can't deny that they were really close for a while", he pointed out. "Solor and Starfire were almost inseparable until his birthday. They were into each other, that much was obvious."

Robin immediately turned, starting to follow the dragon, while Cyborg realized what the leader was planning on doing, following after him. "And just where are you going?"

"I'm going to tell Solor to forget about dating; Beast Boy and Terra is one thing, but I can't risk having him becoming a loose canon on a mission", Robin stated.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Cyborg stated, trying to change the Boy Wonder's mind. "He's left the group before because of hasty decisions made by both of us."

"I'll take that chance", Robin said. "If he tries to leave, I'll talk him down."

"Dude, you're not exactly tactful when it comes to Solor", the taller boy pointed out. "I'm pretty sure if you try to ban him from dating Starfire, he'll try to kill you."

"I'm not banning him from dating Starfire", Robin said, though he was a bit alarmed that Cyborg caught onto that quickly.

"I do not wish to date Kreinyol", came Solor's voice, and the two jumped, seeing that the dragon had stopped and turned around, facing the two of them. "Why would you assume that?"

Robin was too surprised to say anything at that moment, but Cyborg recovered quickly. "Well, she told us that you were really angry when you heard Val Yor call her a troq. You wanted to hurt him for hurting her."

Solor was quiet for a moment, glancing at the two of them. Finally, he let out a sigh. "Cyborg, might I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure", Cyborg said with a shrug.

"How would you react if someone called you a nigger?"

The word was so sudden, Cyborg's eyes widened to an unimagined degree. Robin's own eyes also grew large, his jaw hanging as he stared at the dragon. Before either of them could say any coherent response, Solor turned to Robin. "I suppose it would be a similar reaction if Beast Boy were to be called 'faggot', or Raven a 'bitch'. There are many words that are insults to some people and do nothing to others. There will always be words used to discriminate, to spread hatred and fear. Troq is such a word for Starfire. I knew not what it meant… but I hated it because my friend, my family, was insulted and forced to feel less because it was directed at her. If it were any other word, any other Titan… my reaction would be the same."

The two glanced at each other, then back at the dragon. "Then... what's a word that would insult you?"

"Nivahriin", Solor immediately said. "Calling a dragon 'disloyal' to a cause is high insult." He then shook his head. "But I am curious why you two thought I had feelings for Kreinyol."

"Well, you two were really close before your birthday rolled around", Robin commented.

"That's because we were. But I have decided that Kreinyol and I are not meant for each other." The bronze dragon gave Robin a smug grin. "She is all yours, fearless leader."

Cyborg started cracking up, while Robin turned a bright red, trying to deny the insinuation.

**XxXxXxX**

**Zero-tailed jinchuuriki - Don't worry, the main story arc isn't over yet. I really look forward to when I can post another original chapter; I really excel at those.**

**Wolff Howl - Thanks for enjoying the story! I'll have another chapter posted soon!**


	11. Prophecy

"Freeze", came Robin's command. It was already late in the night, a long month since their last adventure in space. Whenever he could, Robin had been watching the video footage from the night Slade returned with extreme interest. He wanted to know why Slade returned from the dead, and why he had these powers. "Rewind."

The poor Beast Boy groaned a bit. "Dude, we've been looking at this thing all day. I'm telling your, there's nothing else there."

"There has to be", Robin insisted. "Play it again."

The emerald titan groaned, but complied. "Slade kicks butt, take three-hundred and four", he grumbled.

"I cross referenced every database on the planet for the symbol", Cyborg reported, stepping up behind the leader. "I got nothing. This symbol is either before written history, or not even from Earth."

"And Solor won't talk about it at all", Robin stated. "Said that he's forbidden from speaking about it. New powers... cryptic threats... targeting Raven..." Robin approached the screen. "Slade is playing a whole new game, and this mark is the key to it all. We have to know what it means."

Solor, meanwhile, was watching with slight interest. He knew Robin was determined, and admired his tenacity... but the dragon knew of the true threat. The only reason he didn't say anything was that he didn't want his team to lose hope. But he knew exactly who was coming.

Trigon the Terrible. The devourer of worlds. To his people, the monster was known as Alduin, and would mark the end times. He knew what he should do now... he should head home. He should beg to return, to remain safe within the walls of Lair. He would be allowed to remain until Trigon moved to another planet, another world. Then, they would be able to rebuild from scratch, start over from the beginning.

But... there was the fact that the humans were a very important part. As much as he hated them a hundred years ago... nowadays, he was very fond of them. The inventions they created, the cultures they lived in... he learned a lot about humans over the last few years. Plus... some of his friends were humans.

He moved down the hall, deep in thought, before stopping at Raven's door. he gently knocked. "Ruuvak... it is I."

The door opened, and Raven stood on the other side. Her hood was up, and her skin seemed a little more pale. "What is it?" she asked.

"Are you alright?" Solor asked her.

"I'm fine", she told him. "I just... haven't been able to meditate lately."

Solor, however, decided to cut this out. "You know what the mark means", he told her. "You know who is coming... don't you."

Raven's eyes widened, as she stared at him. Finally, she whispered. "How do you know?"

"Trigon the Terrible was prophesied by my own people a long time ago", Solor told her. "Long before humans were even alive. Very few in the Light and Darkness clans can see the future, and the world eater, Alduin in our tongue, was seen a very long time ago. That mark is burned into our history."

Raven sighed. "Then... do you know why I'm being targeted?"

"No", Solor told her. "And if you know why... that is your secret." Raven looked him in the eye, staring in awe.

"Why? Why would you not want to know?" Raven asked him.

"Because it is your secret", Solor told her. "If you want to share it, you will. If you don't, you won't. I can threaten, I can complain, I could annoy you until you shared it. But if the incident with Malchior has taught me anything... I cannot force you to do anything. So I will wait patiently, until you change your mind."

Raven looked at him, a new expression on her face that he could not recognize. She looked... relieved, but at the same time, guilty. However, that was when the alarm went off, and Starfire called the team to the ops center.

After a brief, albeit incorrect, description of what the mark _could _stand for, the Titans were called onto duty when they heard Slade was involved. The masked villain launched a few fireballs, lighting some buildings one fire. "I do love my job", Slade said, his hand lighting up again, before he was shot by Cyborg's sonic cannon, forcing his hand to go out.

"Vandalism?" Robin asked, as Slade faced his opponents. "I'd say you hit an all time low, Slade."

"The Teen Titans", Slade said, straightening his back. "So nice of you to drop by. But, as you can see, I'm in the middle of something." He motioned to the fires he had already lit. "I'll deal with you in a few minutes."

"No, Robin said, as Beast Boy shifted into a bear, Solor's claws lengthened a bit, Starfire and Cyborg charged their weapons, and Terra's eyes began to glow. "We'll deal with you now."

"You can't always have what you want, Robin", Slade chastised, bringing his hands together. A wave of fire shot out, forcing the team to split up.

"Titans! Separate and take him down!" Robin ordered, as everyone took their attack plans. Solor watched Slade's movements, noticing a pattern already. Slade's movements were planned, and he was hitting the exact spots that he meant to.

"Doesn't he know that this whole block is marked for demolition?" Cyborg asked.

"Since when does Slade need an excuse to wreck everything?" Terra asked, glaring at the masked villain.

Robin made the first strike, kicking Slade as he landed from striking another building. "Why did you come back?! Where did you get these powers?!"

"You want to know what this is, don't you?" Slade asked, pointing to the mark on his forehead. He began walking slowly towards robin, his footsteps leaving fire in his wake as the Boy Wonder was forced to back away. "How many sleepless nights have you had, trying to uncover its secrets?" The man straightened up. "Well, let me put your mind at ease. It's called the Mark of Scath, and it is about to become very popular."

"What are you planning?" Robin demanded, still in a fighting stance.

"I'm not planning anything", Slade responded. His hand moved in an s-pattern, and the glowing mark appeared in front of him. "I'm just providing a valuable public service." He raised his arms above his head, the mark forming into a fireball, before he flung it into the Titans' face. Robin was able to avoid getting burned, but the shockwave from the blast sent him flying into the ground. Starfire then took her turn, flinging starbolts at the villain, but Slade dodged easily before dodging. The Tamaranean was able to dodge him. The wrecking ball that was knocked down from Slade's inhuman strength, on the other hand, was a different story.

Next, Beast Boy was able to swoop in, distracting the resurrected villain for a brief moment before Cyborg attacked, shouting out "Fire int he hole!" However, his attack missed, and eventually, Slade was able to bring down a building on him. Thanks to Terra's quick thinking, though, he was unharmed as Slade moved on.

"Yeah, you better run!" Beast Boy yelled out.

Finally, Slade came face to face with Solor in front of what looked to be a very old building, a library. However, Slade did not attack him. "So, Starborn... how does it feel to watch the Prophecy of Alduin come to fruition?"

"So you know who your master is", Solor stated, glaring at the man. "Why? What could he offer you that you could not refuse?"

"That's the best part, isn't it?" Slade said with a grin behind his mask. "You have no idea what I could benefit from this, do you? Well... let's just say after all this business is over... I have some big game to hunt down."

Solor glared at Slade, but could feel the presence of Raven behind him. "What do you want?" she said with clear venom in her voice, despite her monotone.

"Only what every messenger wants, Raven... for their message to be heard." Slade's eye got wider, almost insane looking as he stared at her. "It's time your friends know the truth. And if you won't tell them... I will."

"Leave them out of this", she said, stepping past Solor and standing in defiance against the pawn of Trigon.

"I didn't bring them into this", the masked man said, pointing at Raven. "You did, the day you stepped into their lives." He started walking back. "Tick tock, Raven... time is running out." In a vortex of fire, the villain vanished, while the dragon used his wings, blocking the heat and intensity from harming himself and Raven.

"Titans, do you read me?!" Robin called out.

"I read you, but I don't see you!" came Cyborg's voice.

"I see you all!" Starfire responded.

"And... something else", was Terra's reply. She swapped the video feed, so they could see on their communicators that Slade had lit the ground in a pattern, so that the Mark of Scath could clearly be seen.

Solor lifted into the sky. "I will handle the fires", he told the team. "Terra, could you aid me?"

"Of course", Terra said. The two met up in the air. "What's the game plan?"

"I need you to cover everything in the east with dirt", Solor told her. "Smothering the flames will keep it under control, and prevent the fire from spreading to a populated area."

"What about the west?" she asked in response. "Want me to give it a dirt bath, too?"

"That won't be necessary", Solor affirmed. He moved to the west side of the mark, lighting a lot of the buildings on fire. Once he was certain there was a eastward wind, he flapped his wings, fueling the fires to burn faster. Soon, the buildings were falling apart, but thanks to him monitoring the wind, once it hit the burned patches, the fire stopped spreading, and was now safely maintained. He then returned to the group, that had gathered in the center of the destruction, where the library they had seen was still standing.

"Everything in a three block radius was burned down except for this", Robin stated. "Slade left it standing for a reason."

Cyborg punched a few commands into his arm, looking at the database he pulled up. "According to the city's master plans, this was the original town library. But it's been abandoned for decades."

"No wonder. This place is a dump", Beast Boy said casually, walking over to one of the pillars. He lightly tapped it with his shoe, but jumped back, startled when the pillar came crumbling down. Without any support on one side, the sign that was being held up fell to the ground, bringing with it the other column. That was when the secret was revealed.

"The Mark of Scath", Robin stated, looking up at the crimson symbol with a scowl. "Slade told me what it's called. I be this has something to do with what he's planning."

As Starfire moved to open the doors, it was Raven who stopped them. "Wait... maybe we shouldn't go in. It's probably a trap."

"It's also our only lead", Robin stated, nodding to Starfire. "We'll just have to chance it." With her incredible strength, the lock on the door stood no chance. The Titans walked in, with Cyborg using his shoulder light to lead the way.

"Even without the creepy librarian, I'm getting spooked here", Terra said, rubbing her arms to hold back the goosebumps.

After a bit of searching, the Titans came to the other side, where nothing but blank walls stood. "Dead end", Robin pointed out.

"There's nothing here... can we go now?" Raven's wishes, though, were cut short. She could feel the mark appearing on her forehead for a split second, before a door flashed with the symbol as well, opening and scaring the crap out of Beast Boy. The team approached cautiously, staring down the stairs that were revealed.

"Secret passage", Beast Boy said, his heart beating fast as he tried to calm down. "Cool..." He then shoved Cyborg in front of him. "You go first."

Due to the serious mood, Cyborg opted to just go first rather than tease his friend about his fear. His light grew brighter as the team started walking down, with Solor standing at the rear, to keep anyone following them at bay. He was looking around, his expression in a deep frown. Eventually, the group reached a level floor, and in alcoves high above them were statues of skeletons wearing robes similar to Raven, all staring down at them. He knew they were only stone, but the feeling Solor got while looking at them was one of dread. "I did not realize libraries held such disturbing sculptures", he commented.

"They don't", Cyborg stated. "This part of the building is old... _old _old... like, before the city was built."

Then the walls flashed a bright red. Markings similar to the Scath one began to shine, surrounding them in an eerie red light. Then, the statues' eyes began to shine, as what looked to be spirits floated out of them, still staring down at them. Then... they began to speak.

_The gem was born of evil's fire_

_The gem shall be his portal_

_He comes to claim_

_He comes to sire_

_The end of all things mortal._

Solor knew these words well. He growled a bit, as the ghosts seemed to reenter their statues, returning to their rest. "So... this is where it's going to happen..." he muttered with a growl.

"Raven?" Robin asked, seeing the blue-cloaked empath running up the stairs. Their leader took off after her, trying to get her to stay, but Solor did nothing. He was not good with words, with dealing with fear. He would not be able to help her.

And that twisted his gut, as he glared at the mark in front of them.

"It sounds like some sort of... prophecy", Starfire commented. Cyborg had recorded the message, and was playing it back now.

"Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good."

"This is some serious evil", Terra stated.

"Even for Slade", Beast Boy agreed.

"Not Slade", came Robin's voice, as he walked back down the stairs. "Whoever he's working for."

"Scath", Starfire muttered.

"Alduin", Solor finally said, gaining their attention. He let out a sigh. "Few dragons are gifted with future sight back home. This day was prophesied a long time ago, before I was born, before written history. We fear him just as much as you do."

"Is Alduin his real name?" Cyborg asked.

"No", Solor said with a shake of his head. "His name is something I dare not utter. I know not everything, but I do know that this is where this... gem of his will be placed, for his summoning."

"'The gem shall be his portal'... Scath is coming, and this gem is how he gets here", Robin said, walking to the far end, where the mark was carved into the stone. "If we're going to stop him, we need to find it and destroy it." With a swift kick, the wall was destroyed, showing either Robin's strength or the weakness in the structure.

"Robin... where is Raven?" Solor asked, noticing the empath hadn't followed him back down the stairs.

"She's not coming", was all he said as the group continued their journey into the abandoned library.

After only a few minutes, the group came to a spiraling staircase. Even with Cyborg turning up the intensity as high as he could, the light couldn't reach the bottom, and the remaining six Titans stared into the darkness.

"So, how far do you think it goes?" Cyborg asked, looking over at Solor.

"Only one way to find out", the dragon said. Then, surprising everyone out, he made a funny face, as he snorted a little, forcing the air to go through his nose. Then, he opened his mouth, before hocking a loogie into the darkness. It was lit ablaze, but only a few seconds later did it vanish into the darkness, and several seconds passed by before a final, resounding splat echoed back up to them.

"... that's pretty far", Terra said, once she recovered. "Since when do you spit like that?"

Solor glared at her. "Sometime's, burning someone with spit is useful. Rarely, though, is it effective, so I refrain from doing so."

"Well, we better get moving", Robin said, starting to walk down the stairs. "I bet that gem's down there."

"Yeah, but what else is down there?" Cyborg asked, shaking a bit.

As the group descended, managing to only get a few levels down, Robin stopped, staring into the abyss again. "Looks like we have company", he said, as what sounded like whispers hit their ears. Solor stared, growling in defiance, as more ghosts appeared. This time, though, they were a little different. Rather than human-shaped, these looked like they had long, pointed beaks, bony wings, and four crimson eyes. They also held what looked to be scythes, as they slowly approached the team.

"I cannot hit those", he said, noticing he could barely see through them. "These spirits are immune to attack!"

That was when one was able to strike Cyborg, almost sending him rolling off the stairs. "But they can hit us!" the metal teen shouted.

"Yeah, cause that's totally fair", Terra stated, her eyes glowing. She was able to pull out a few stones from the wall behind her, using them to shield from their attacks, while Starfire and Solor used their starbolts and fire respectively, attempting to force the ghosts to dissipate. During the confusion, though, Cyborg shot a large hole into the stairs in front of them, meaning they couldn't continue like normal, even if they could win.

"Follow me!" Robin yelled with quick thinking. Taking a running start, he suddenly leaped off the stairs, with Beast Boy, Terra, Starfire, and Solor quickly followed suit.

"Uh, maybe you didn't get the memo, Robin?! You and me can't fly!" Cyborg yelled out. However, seeing as he was surrounded, the metal teen eventually followed suit, screaming a bit as they fell down.

Solor was the first to notice the mark on the wall again, and quickly flipped in the air, grabbing Cyborg mid flight and placing him on the stairs, before pulling the mark off the wall. "Another passage... THIS WAY!" he roared, before running into the hidden hallway. The other Titans, having saved themselves in their own ways, quickly followed him, fleeing their ghostly pursuers.

"Which way?" Beast Boy asked when they caught up. Solor was staring at four different hallways, trying to decipher the markings above the door.

However, Robin came up with an answer, seeing the Mark of Scath above one of the doors. "This one!" he yelled. "Follow the Mark!"

As they fled deeper, another set of four corridors appeared, but this time, there was no mark. "What do we do?!" Beast Boy asked again.

"Pick one!" Solor yelled, before breathing a stream of fire towards the ghosts. The green teen then used the genius tactic of "Eenie-meanie-minie-moe", before running into a door. However, he soon came running back, screaming, "Not moe! Not moe!"

Solor took a quick glance up at the marks above the doors again, and one called out to him; the door emblazoned with a raven above it. "This way!" he called out, running down the hall. Once all of the team was inside, a door closed behind them, and the haunting screams passed away, no longer following them.

"Looks like we can't get out", Terra said, looking back at the shut door.

"Yeah, but at least they didn't follow us in", Cyborg added, sighing a bit in relief.

Now that they were more calm, the group moved forward, and entered a new room. In the center was a pillar, shaped to look like a giant hand. And there were statues on either side of it, looking down with blank faces.

"I'm getting a serious sense of deja vu here", Cyborg said.

"Not only that, but something about this seems really familiar", Beast Boy confirmed.

"The statues... they look like Raven", Solor pointed out. And he was right; besides having no faces, the statues seemed to be wearing robes similar to the empath. "What is her place in all of this?"

The group landed on the hand, staring down at the shaft of light that was hitting it. "The gem... it's gone!" Robin said. He was right; the hand was completely empty.

"You must be disappointed", came Slade's cool voice, and the group looked up, staring at the man standing on the fingers.

"Where's the gem?!" Robin demanded.

"Not here... but much closer to you than you think", Slade responded, jumping down onto the hand next.

"Who is Scath?!" Robin demanded again, pointing at the masked villain. "Tell me who you're working for!"

"Hm..." Slade only gave what looked to be a manic smile. "I'd love to introduce you... but unfortunately, you won't be around that long." With that, his hands began to glow with fire once more, and the battle began anew. The team jumped down, attempting to escape the fire, but Slade followed Cyborg and Beast Boy, hitting them with incredible strength. Fortunately, Cyborg was able to catch the changeling, but the green teen was dazed for a while.

"Now, Titans", the pawn of Scath said, almost in a chastising tone. "You're just delaying the inevitable." With one hand, he grabbed onto Cyborg, and effortlessly threw him to the other side of the room, swiftly dodging as Robin attempted to kick him.

"We're not leaving without the gem!" he said with a snarl.

"You don't understand; you're not leaving at all", Slade told the Titans. Starfire was able to get the jump on him, throwing Slade into a wall, but when she attempted to hit him with her starbolts, he was able to catch it easily and throw it back at her, much faster than before.

Cyborg stood next, charging up his cannon to maximum power, and did manage to get a hit on Slade. However, his next attempts to hit him were all failures, as the man moved with incredible speed and dodged all of his sonic blasts. Beast Boy attempted to run him over, morphing into a triceratops, but his powers sent the green teen flying again, this time hitting Cyborg and knocking both of them out.

Terra was trying to squash him with her rocks, since she could pull them more easily out of the ground, but Slade was simply too strong. Eventually, he was able to get close and grab her hands. "Disappointing, really... you would have made a fine apprentice." He then swiftly swung her behind him, striking Robin hard and sending both humans flying. He approached Robin, his hand still glowing. "You know, I actually like working for someone else... it let's me be a little more hands-on."

"Forgetting someone?" Solor said with a snarl, striking Slade hard in the back with his tail. He moved forward, picking up the dead villain. "I am still here, Slade... I can still fight."

"And yet, you know you can't hurt me", Slade told the dragon calmly. "You know I can't die."

"Then I will have to rip you apart", Solor said, his claws growing. "Piece by piece."

Unfortunately, he was hit hard with another fire blast, and dazed because of it. Slade took that opportunity to be merciless, beating Solor hard with his bare hands. The others could hear bones crack, and gurgled cries of pain as Slade hit the draconic Titan.

"Come on, Solor", Slade said, picking up the dragon's head, and snarling at him. "What happened to the fight? What happened to the dragon who had the gall to attack the leader of Death, the eldest of the Grand Circle?!" When he got no reply, Slade put the dragon down. "No matter... this won't hurt a bit." His hand began to glow, getting ready for the final strike, ready to end Solor's life.

"Wanna bet?!"

Slade was suddenly hit hard by a wall encased in black, smashing him into another wall. The team looked up, seeing Raven standing there, her body glowing red with markings, as her white eyes glared at Slade. The stone he was crushed behind exploded, and Slade walked out, glaring back at her. She floated down, speaking up again. "I told you to leave them out of this."

"How sweet. You've come back to save your friends." Slade lit his hands up again, looking like he was going to attack. "But you're only delaying their pain... and yours."

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Raven challenged, walking up to Slade. The team walked over to Solor, picking him up an helping him stand as she glared harshly at Slade. "Aren't you going to attack? Reduce me to ashes? Or did your master forbid you from hurting me?" When Slade didn't respond, she pushed further. "Did he order you to keep his gem safe?"

That was when Solor was beginning to wake up, and he heard her words. The rest of the fight was a blur to him, as all he could think about was the fact that Raven was the gem.

_She's the gem?! _he thought to himself. _She is the herald of Alduin?!_

**We must destroy her! NOW!**

_She's our friend! We can't hurt her!_

**She will doom us all!**

_She had no choice in this!_

**We can stop the prophecy! We can save everyone!**

"Friend Solor?" came Starfire's voice, and he snapped out of his thoughts. He looked up, seeing Raven was avoiding eye contact. He looked at her, seeing her morose expression, then looked around the room, seeing a lot more destruction than he had seen before. Slade was gone, but they were all alive.

Thanks to Raven.

He clenched his claw, and forced himself free of the others' grip. "I'm fine", he said to them, walking over to Raven. He placed a claw on her shoulder, forcing her to turn. She still avoided looking him in the eye, though, and he knew she could feel his emotions. She could probably feel the turmoil in his heart.

_I won't kill her_, he decided. _I will keep her safe._

**You doom your friends. You doom this entire planet. If the Circle finds out you had a chance to stop this and did not, you will never return home. You will be eaten, just like the rest of the mortals.**

_I know. But I will fight this to the end of my last breath. I am loyal to my friends. I will protect them any way I can._

"Let's go home", he told Raven, getting her to finally look at him. "You must be tired."

Raven stared at him, her eyes wide. Finally, she sighed, closing her eyes. "Idiot... you're in a worse state than me, and yet you're telling me I look tired..."

XxXxXxX

The Titans finally headed home, where Raven revealed her secret. "The ancient order used the name Scath to protect the true identity of their master. We know him... as Trigon."

Everyone reeled back at that. "Are you serious?" Cyborg asked, his face pale. "That's who we're up against? Oh man..."

"His cruelty is legendary, even on my world", Starfire said.

"That's why you couldn't say his name", Terra said to Solor. "You're scared of him, too."

"I am", Solor stated, nodding. "Alduin has a streak that precedes him. Even the leaders of my people, the Grand Circle, are afraid of Trigon."

"So, what makes you go all glowy in the dark?" Beast Boy asked, looking at Raven.

"It's a warning", she responded. "It means that Trigon is coming... and the way he gets here is through me." Her eyes lowered, and she sighed. "I'm not just a person... I'm a portal."

"But why?" Solor asked. "Why you? Why are you his herald?"

"Because... Trigon... is my father", she finally admitted. The team stared at her, while Solor thought to himself quietly.

_So that's why I can sense Darkness in her... it's not just her power... she is the literal spawn of Alduin..._

"Bad things are gonna happen soon", Raven said, standing up and approaching the window. "Really bad things. And it's going to be my fault. I thought I could handle this alone, I tried... but I was wrong."

Starfire was the first to approach the blue-robed girl. "For confiding in us, we are most humbled."

"I only have one question", Cyborg asked, though Terra beat him to the punch.

"How do we stop him?"

"We don't", Raven responded, sounding defeated.

"That doesn't mean we still can't try", Beast Boy said to Raven.

Solor, however, wasn't as optimistic. "Beast Boy... I don't think you understand the situation. Alduin is the eater of worlds, the destroyer of souls. Once he gets here... there is nothing we can do."

"But he's still something we can hit", Robin countered. "We need to come up with a plan." Robin turned to Solor. "Would you be able to ask your people for help?"

Solor's eyes widened, but he shook his head, sighing. "No. My people are terrified of him. The only ones that would be crazy enough to try would be the Darkness clan... and we already know what they'll do if I try to talk to them. The only thing I can do... is..." He turned away. "The only thing the Circle would grant me is sanctuary when his day comes. I would be safe in Lair, as he cannot reach us there."

"Would you be able to bring humans with you?" Cyborg asked.

"Unfortunately, no", the dragon said, shaking his head. "Humans are banned from Lair, unless explicitly invited by the Circle, or an Heir. And because of my temporary banishment, I would not be allowed to invite guests. I would... have to sit by... and watch the planet die."

The group looked at each other, shocked. An entire society of dragons, and they would do nothing to save the humans on the planet? Were his people truly that selfish? But they took one look at him, and they knew that he was frazzled by this turn of events. Despite his stoic look, they could tell he was absolutely terrified. Robin glanced over at the team, who all looked back at him, before he spoke up.

"Solor... you should ask them to take you in."

Solor's breath hitched, as he turned to his friends. "W-what?"

"Dude, you've been through a lot before this whole Trigon fiasco began", Beast Boy told him. "I know you've gotten over the nightmares, but you're still hurt from that day when you were kidnapped."

Terra nodded. "If you can save yourself, you should. We can handle this."

"Indeed, friend", Starfire told him. "We shall be alright. We understand if you can't stay."

Cyborg concluded, "So... if you don't want to stay anymore, then you should go."

Solor looked at them all, his eyes wide. His lips curled downward, as he lowered his head. "You... all of you..." he muttered. Suddenly, he spun around, his tail striking them all in the gut and sending them flying back a bit, as he let out a low growl. "You IDIOTS! What makes you think I want to leave?!"

Robin looked up from where he ended up, wincing a bit. It wasn't a hard strike, but it would sting for a while. "But... Solor-"

"Don't you 'but Solor' me!" the dragon said with a snarl. "I've tried to leave a dozen times because of my own petty reasons, and you've always found me and convinced me to stay! Now you all are facing a problem, and you want me to leave?!"

"Solor, if you stay, your fate will be the same as all of us", Raven stated, floating into the air again. "You have a chance to live, so you should take it."

"I am NOT leaving you to face the World Eater by yourself!" Solor roared. "To hell with saving my own skin! I'm sticking with you, all of you, and nothing is going to change my mind!"

**XxXxXxX**

**Alright, time to continue the review responses for chapter 10.**

**LordGhostStriker: I'm glad you still found time to read it. I don't like writing our filler chapters that don't include more of the group, cause it makes it hard to write Solor into the story, but I did what I could.**

**marco794: ... ****sorry to disappoint you?**

**Linkonpark100: ****Yes, I am not going to pair Solor with Starfire. That was the original idea, but as time went on, I saw a bit into the future of what'll happen to Solor, and decided that pairing them together will not benefit the story. Thanks for sticking it out, though; I'm getting near the end of this book in the saga.**

**Miss geek: Well, I'm sorry, but Solor is MY character, after all. I understand him best out of everyone who's reading. This is MY story, Solor is MY character, and I will put the pairing as I see fit. I hope you keep reading, because there's more to the story than just the pairings, but if you don't, then... I don't know what to say. It seems like it would be a pity that you stop reading just because I didn't put the dragon with the tamaranean.**


	12. Beach Day

**Alright, folks. Before I get you the story, I need to explain something, since almost literally everyone is asking. The question that I need to answer?**

**Why did I change gears, and make it so Solor and Starfire are no longer going to be together?**

**I will admit, that was the original idea. Solor would end up with Starfire in the end of the original idea. But as time went on, the story changed, my views changed, and certain things that I wanted to include became a bad idea to me. I originally wanted to give dragons an affinity for magic, but I figured that would be a bad idea, given that Malchior supposedly only knows so much about magic because of him being trapped in a book for centuries at a time.**

**So, when it came to who should end up with Solor, I eventually decided that keeping him with Starfire, while it's more of a different thing than most stories I've seen nowadays, I decided that his character development with Raven would be better for the story than how it would be with Starfire. So, yes, this is now an OC X Raven story.**

**Now, on with the chapter!**

***loud whisper* Also, there may be a lot of fluff in this chapter. If you don't like fluff, here's your warning.**

XxXxXxX

Ever since the big secret had been spilled, everyone had been rather depressed lately. Hearing that the world was literally gonna end, and you knew that it was one hundred percent true tended to have that kind of effect on people. Even the normally nauseatingly cheerful antics of Starfire seemed to diminish greatly, and most of the team spent every day inside.

Solor, today, was staring out the window, sighing gently. He was looking at the ocean, staring at the cool water and watching as an occasional bird flew by, or a fish jumped out of the water. He had never taken time to actually sit and watch the world around him go by before, and now that he could, he noticed how beautiful everything around him was.

And soon, it would all be replaced by hellfire, lifeless stone, and a four-eyed giant that would devour every soul on the planet.

"I can't take this anymore!" came a sudden, loud cry as the entire team turned to stare at Beast Boy, who stood suddenly from his spot on the couch. "Ever since Raven told us Trigon's coming, the mood around here has been more dead than a graveyard! Cyborg hasn't touched the gamestation in weeks, Starfire doesn't even fly around the building anymore, Robin's always holed up in his room besides wanting to eat, and I haven't been able to even think of some stupid joke to try and cheer everyone up!"

The residents of the tower all stared at the green changeling. To hear that he noticed everyone in such a depressing mood made it... embarrassing, to say the least. Beast Boy wasn't always paying attention to his surroundings, so it must've gotten bad.

"So... what do you want us to do about it?" Solor asked.

"We're no closer to figuring out how to stop Trigon than when Raven told us he's her father", Robin pointed out. "We've been working really hard to try and figure out a plan."

"And I'm saying all work and no play makes the team extra cranky", Beast Boy countered. "Robin, when was the last time we all got together for a movie night? Or the last time that Terra and I have been on a date? Or Starfire's been to the mall to look for something cute to add to her collection of adorable earth things?" He turned to everyone else. "I understand how important work is... but we're gonna drive ourselves crazy if we just stay in any longer!"

"Well, what should we do then?" Cyborg asked.

Beast Boy raised his finger, then lowered it in defeat as he sighed. "I... didn't get that far. I was just letting out some steam..."

Solor glanced at the green changeling, then back out at the water. A sudden idea hit him, as he coughed a bit, grabbing everyone's attention. "We could... go to the beach." When everyone stared at him, he flushed a bit. "I've been living here for four years now, and I still haven't been to the beach. I would like to go there at least once..."

Terra gave a happy grin. "Actually, that sounds really fun. I haven't been to a beach in ages."

Robin nodded. "Well... I guess a small break today wouldn't be a bad thing." He turned over to Raven, who had been making herself a cup of tea. "What do you think?"

She glanced over, her eyes narrowing under her hood. "I'm not exactly a beach-goer... I'm not sure I'd be a lot of fun."

"But friend Raven", Starfire said, having perked up from Beast Boy and Solor's statements, "we simply must go to the beach! I have so sorely wanted to, but our duties as heroes have kept us from joining our fellow teenagers out in the sun! Please, we must go!"

Cyborg nodded, smirking. "We could play real beach volleyball. Plus, I might have some new water toys to try out."

Terra examined her nails a bit. "I wonder if they have a sand-castle building tournament."

"I can't wait to go swimming!" Beast Boy said. "Come on, Rae, you gotta come with us! Some sunlight will do you some good!"

Raven looked at first like she wanted to say no. But she was able to see every Titan's hopeful stares, and her resolve quickly broke. She groaned, and reluctantly nodded. "Alright, fine. But I'm just staying on the beach."

"I shall be as well", Solor stated with a smile. "I haven't been sunbathing on the beach before... I am certain the warm sand will feel good against my scales."

Raven gave a slightly irritated sigh. _They are lucky I want to make some good memories..._

The team split into two, so both genders could get ready without the other walking in at the wrong time. Solor, used to not wearing clothes when he was in private, had no problem changing into his swimsuit in front of the other guys, while they were choosing what to wear for the beach. He slipped on a pair of dark red shorts, making sure they were tied nice and tight so they wouldn't slip off.

"For Pete's sake, Solor, I know you want to look good, but do you really have to show off?" came Beast Boy's annoyed tone. The dragon turned, seeing the changeling had changed into a pair of dark purple shorts, and his shirt was gone as well. He had a very slim build, and the muscles barely showed up on his emerald body at all. Robin, himself, had opted for a pair of green shorts with a yellow R encased in a black circle on his left leg, to go with his iconic mask. Cyborg didn't have a need for a swimsuit, so he went to get the car ready.

"What do you mean?" Solor asked, looking down. "The red goes very well with my scales, and-"

"Not those, _those!_" the emerald teen said, pointing at Solor's abs. "You gave yourself a six pack! You're, like, male model built!"

The dragon glanced down, looking at himself. "Really? I didn't even notice. I just went with what is natural when I shifted into a mortal form..."

The teen groaned a bit. "Ugh, that is so not fair. I know you want to look good for Raven, but isn't that pushing it too far?"

The dragon raised an eyebrow, staring at Beast Boy in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Robin took that moment to chime in. "Solor, it's been pretty obvious that while you've been trying to get along with everyone better, you hang around Raven the most lately. To a lot of people... they'd assume you had a crush on her."

Solor's cheeks became a bright red, and he brought his hands up in a defensive pose. "Now, hold on for a second! What makes you think I have a crush on her?"

"Well, you always listen when she's talking", Beast Boy counted on his finger.

"You always smile more when you're near her", Robin added.

"You laugh at her sarcastic comments."

"You make sure none of us disturb her meditation..."

Solor's face had turned tomato red at this point, and he finally cut in. "Okay, that's enough of that! First off, I understand how important it is for her to meditate; she needs absolute control of her emotions to be efficient with her powers." He then sighed, before talking again. "Second... she helped me a lot during my... emotional breakdown. She helped me cope with the nightmares and the feeling of self-loathing because I got caught so easily." As he explained, the two boys let their gazes soften, remembering that dark time in his life. "I am grateful, sure... but I don't have... feelings."

Beast Boy stared at Solor for a while, and for the first time, he seemed to have a gaze that pierced the dragon's very soul, and Solor only shifted uncomfortably under the green teen's gaze. Eventually, Beast Boy backed off, shrugging. "Alright, if you say so, dude."

_Something tells me he doesn't believe me_, Solor thought to himself as the teen headed outside.

Meanwhile, with the girls, Terra had already changed into a light-blue bikini, going through the different swimsuits the team had. She eventually found a small, black swimsuit. "Hey, Rae, I think I found something that'd fit you."

Raven glared over at the blonde. "It's 'Raven', and I'm not wearing that. I've already picked out a swimsuit." She was helping Starfire out by tying her hair back so it was easier to tie up her top. The orange-skinned beauty was working on getting a purple bikini on as well, smiling to herself as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Really? What did you pick?" The empath's response was to pull out a simple one-piece outfit, and the blonde tsked in disappointment. "Raven, if you go with that, you'll never get his attention."

The empath paused in her actions, glancing at the geomancer. "What?"

"You heard me. Something as plain as that will never get Solor's attention; you need to show off a little more skin", Terra told her gothic friend. "You need to show him the goods, girl!"

Raven's face became a very bright pink, and she sputtered in shock, trying to come up with a coherent response. Starfire's hair fell from her hands, and the tamaranean glanced back. "Please, friend Terra, what are these goods that Raven should show friend Solor?"

"You know, Starfire... she needs to show more skin, more of her body. The most we ever see of her is her face. Her legs, rarely, if we get a mission to go on", Terra explained.

At first, the tamaranean cocked her head, confused. Then a look of realization washed across her face. "Oh! You mean Raven should show friend Solor her grebnaks!"

Raven's blush became hotter as she turned to the tamaranean. "Not you, too..." she groaned, glaring at her teammates.. "I'm not interested in him like that. I'm not showing off my 'goods' or 'grebnaks' or whatever you call it. My complexion is pale, so I have to be careful about what I wear. So, no showing off, no bikinis, no goods... just no."

Both Starfire and Terra pouted, and reluctantly dropped the subject. Raven went back to her task of tying Starfire's hair back, but she fumbled a bit, distracted by her own emotions and her racing heart. Terra took notice of this, and knew she had one shot at this. Quickly, she took Raven's swimsuit out of the bag, replacing it with the smaller bikini she had found a few minutes ago. _She'll thank me later_, Terra decided, a mischievous little grin forming on her face.

XxXxXxX

After an uneventful flight/drive over, the team all stared at the beach. Despite it being a very warm day, it wasn't too crowded by the water. That meant there were plenty of open spots that they could grab. In no time at all, the group had snagged a nice spot by a few umbrellas that they could use. As everyone else was getting ready, Raven got up. "I'm gonna go change", she said to the others.

That prompted Terra to ask, "Well, why didn't you change at the tower like the rest of us?"

"Because I'm not comfortable stripping down in front of an audience", the empath said with a glare. "Now, if you don't mind..." She headed for the changing tent that had been set up on the beach, her bag in hand.

Beast Boy shimmied over to his girlfriend, whispering a bit. "Did you swap her swimsuit out for something smaller?"

"Yeah", Terra stated, looking over to him. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I noticed what you put in her bag while I was snagging this", Beast Boy stated, holding up Raven's towel. The blonde blinked, before giving Beast Boy a confident smirk. "Only problem now is that if she is able to, she'll put her leotard back on instead of the swimsuit."

Terra grinned, her hand glowing. "Leave that to me."

XxXxXxX

Solor was right about the sand feeling good against his scales. He was laying on his stomach, allowing the warm grains to heat up his stomach. He wanted to be in his natural form, but the normal populace didn't know about dragons, so he had to keep that little tidbit a secret. Not that it mattered, though. He was just enjoying the sun on his back and the heated earth under his belly.

_This is nice_, he said to himself, his eyes closed as he gave a content smile.

That, however, was when he was interrupted by Starfire. "Excuse me, friend Solor?" He opened his eyes, flipping over to see the Tamaranean looking down at him. "Friend Raven requests your assistance."

"Uh... sure. Where is she?" he asked, looking around for the empath.

"She is still in the changing tent", Starfire reported.

"Wait, what?" Solor asked, getting up. "She's been in there for ten minutes now! What's going on?"

"I do not know, I was merely told to go get you", Starfire said to him, shrugging. "She seemed slightly distressed, so I recommend going to her immediately."

The dragon nodded, heading over to the tent. This was set up and secured solely for people to get changed in, so Raven was rather lucky that the small structure wasn't needed by anyone else right now. "Raven?" Solor asked, standing outside the tent. "Starfire told me you needed my assistance?"

"Yeah, I could really use your help", Raven stated. "I need to borrow your towel."

"Um... what for?" Solor asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I just need it", Raven quickly stated, almost defensively. "Please, can you help me out here?"

"I would... but I don't have a towel."

There was an irritated groan as Raven pinched the bridge of her nose. "Great... just great... I brought the wrong swimsuit, I forgot my stupid towel, and now I'm stuck in here, because I don't want to teleport back to the tower, but I can't go out like this-"

"Raven, what is wrong?" Solor asked.

"I... I..." Raven let out a sigh. "I don't know why... but I brought the wrong suit with me. And I forgot to pack a towel."

"Then why don't you change back into your leotard?"

"Because... it's gone."

Solor blinked a bit, processing that fact. Eventually, he sighed. "So... you need something to cover up?"

"Exactly. Do you have anything?"

"... sort of." Solor sighed a bit, unfolding his wings and using them to cover the entrance. "I can... use my wings to keep you covered, like I did back on your birthday. We won't be able to do much but sit under a tree... though it is better than being forced to sit in there all day long."

Raven, when he first offered, felt her face heat up. It wasn't that she thought he was being crafty or perverted - she could feel that his intentions were pure. But the thought of sitting in his lap almost all day... being stuck under his wings the entire time...

_Go for it! _came the reassuring voice of Affection. _When are you ever going to get a chance like this again?_

She wanted to refuse... she wanted to say no... but at Affections assurance, soon her other emotions chimed in, telling her to do the same. Finally, she lowered her head. "Fine", she stated. "But you need to keep your eyes closed until I'm covered up. Got it?"

"Understood", Solor stated, closing his eyes tight. His wings were open now, giving her enough room to walk in. "Just tap me when I'm good to close my wings."

"Don't you dare peek", came the monotone reply as the empath started moving forward. She looked up, seeing that Solor was true to his word, and his eyes were shut nice and tight. She stepped forward, moving so she was as close to him as she could. She glanced at his body, seeing his chest and abs, and couldn't help but heat up.

_Get a hold of yourself, Raven_, she chastised herself, _You're thinking like a horny teenager..._ She tapped his chest lightly, turning around so that she was facing forward. She saw her wings wrap around the two of them, and as she looked down, she saw that the wings covered her shoulders, and continued down all the way to her knees.

A sudden pressure against her stomach caused her to gap, as she was lifted up so that her feet no longer touched the sand. "S-Solor!" she said in surprise, just barely able to keep something from blowing up.

"I apologize", the dragon stated, moving towards a tree nearby. "I figured this might be easier than shuffling over to a safe spot for us." Once they were under the tree, he put the empath back down, but his arm did not move yet. Instead, he applied some slight pressure, making her sit down as they both moved under the tree, with his back resting against the trunk, while her back rested against his chest, and she could feel the cool scales against her skin.

_This is really embarrassing_, Raven thought, her face a light shade of pink.

The two sat in silence for a moment, just letting everything sink in. His feet flexed slightly as he watched the ocean, seeing a few civilians and a couple of his teammates playing in the water, especially Terra and Cyborg. The robotic teen had modified his arm to shoot water, while a hose sticking out of his back was put into the water, allowing him to turn his arm into a high-power super soaker.

"You do not wish to have fun with the others?" Solor suddenly asked, looking over to his team. "It looks like the others are enjoying themselves."

Raven glanced over at them, sighing a bit. "It's not that I don't want to have fun. It's that... compared to them, I'm not the most fun person to be around..."

"How so?" Solor asked. When she looked up at him with an incredulous stare, he decided to elaborate a bit. "I apologize, but my understanding of humans is still limited, despite my time in the mortal world. I only learned the basics from watching you six, and even then... not exactly the best examples." He motioned over to Beast Boy, who had joined the water battle by turning into a shark and chasing Cyborg around.

"... good point." Raven sighed, looking over to Terra. "Well, first off, there's Terra. A laid-back kind of girl, she has her own tomboyish charms... and she knows how to get along with guys. Her figure is athletic, and she's athletic, allowing her to keep up with Beast Boy and Cyborg, and even Robin no problem." Her eyes shifted over to Starfire, who was burying Robin in the sand. "Then, our resident Tamaranean is more of a girly girl. Naive, but overwhelmingly kind, she just wants to make friends with everyone she can. Her body is more feminine in figure, and she enjoys the cute and cuddly things in life... even if one of those 'cute' things happens to be Silkie."

Finally she looked down at her own legs. "Then... there's me. Broody, emotionless, and easily irritated. I don't get along with anyone, really. I spend almost all of my time reading or meditating. The only time I actually exercise is when I'm training with the team or fighting villains." She sighed a bit, sinking a little further into his wings. "I'm antisocial, I'm not fit like them... no one would want to have fun with me."

Solor glanced over at the girls as she spoke, looking at them carefully. Eventually, though, he looked back down at her, seeing her looking a little distressed by her own words. For the longest time, he saw Raven as a cold perfectionist, who couldn't be bothered with social interactions. It was common for dragons; sometimes, dragons strived to be the best, foregoing all others to better themselves, and sometimes never rekindling their old friendships.

But he looked at her, and saw that she was a normal girl, with normal problems. And she needed help.

"That's bull", he stated bluntly, causing her head to snap up. He had said it so casually that she was startled by him, and he took that moment to elaborate. "Raven, you're not as outgoing as most other people, but that doesn't mean that you're not fun, or that you're someone people should avoid. I understand this more than anyone else." He shifted a bit, readjusting his weight so he was a bit more comfortable. "You don't like the loud noises of parties, and you don't see the point in mind-numbing video games. But the way I see it, you just have different tastes, and diversity is one thing that I admire about humans." He then shot her an irritated look. "And if you're saying that you're fat or out of shape, and no one would want to be with you just for how you look... that's bull too. From what I understand, a lot of mortal men would do anything to get a girl like you to notice them, and a lot of mortal women would kill to have your figure."

"B-b-but-" Raven had begun trying to reply, but her beating heart and her flushed face made it rather difficult to say anything coherent.

"And besides", the dragon said, silencing her again, "it's not like some random stranger's opinion matters. If someone you really care about gives you the honest truth, while others will lie to either make themselves feel better or to discourage you... then the only opinion that matters is the first."

There was a long moment of silence. Solor was pleased with what he told her, wile Raven had turned so red that you'd think her ears would start spouting steam. It took everything she had to keep something from blowing up, and eventually, her embarrassment faded, as she thought about what he said. He was right about a lot of things; only her friends' opinion mattered right now, since they were the only people she knew here. But she didn't think she was beautiful like Starfire and Terra. She felt very uncomfortable showing off her body like they did.

However, a question soon popped up in her head, and it began nagging at the front of her thought process. Even when she tried to think of something else, it would take charge and storm in front of her thoughts. Eventually, she turned to the dragon again. "Um... Solor?"

"Yes, Ruuvak?"

"Do... do you think... I'm pretty?"

The question started out soft at first, and as she spoke, her voice got softer and softer, until it barely left her lips at a whisper. However, the dragon was able to hear it, thanks to his own heritage, and he felt his own face heat up a bit. He used his tail to scratch his cheek a bit, unsure of what to say. "Um... well... I..." He bit his lip a bit, caught off guard. "Raven... I am a dragon. I've lived with you guys for four years, and before that, I have been among humans before, but I don't view mortal girls the same way as dragons..."

"Right", Raven said. She sank a bit in her seat, just a tiny amount. _He can't fall in love with a human... what was I even thinking by asking that question?_

"... but... if I had to say anything about you... I'd compare you to a multicolored gemstone." She glanced back at him, seeing a smile on his face. "A truly beautiful and rare treasure."

This time, something did blow up - a sandcastle that Terra had been working on. The structure was a few feet tall, and she was about to put the finishing touches on it, when suddenly, it was encased in Raven's black aura, and burst outward violently, covering her (and anyone unlucky enough to be nearby) with sand. She sputtered a bit, not expecting the explosion, before staring at her destroyed masterpiece. She glared at the destruction, before looking around, hoping to find Raven so she could give her a piece of her mind.

So imagine her surprise when she saw the resident goth girl sitting in Solor's lap with his wings covering her up.

From what she could tell, Raven looked rather embarrassed, but about what, the blonde couldn't tell. But she moved over to Beast Boy, who had finished chasing Cyborg around a while ago, and nudged his shoulder. "Check it out", she whispered, so none of the civilians would disturb the pair. Beast Boy glanced over, and his eyes widened.

"Is that...?"

"Yep."

"And she's..."

"Uh-huh."

"And they're..."

"Yep."

"... well it looks like our plan worked... sort of", Beast Boy said with a shrug. However, his eye caught something else, and he grinned. "Raven looks really embarrassed about something."

"Maybe he told her she's pretty", Terra said, grinning as well.

That's when another thought hit Beast Boy, and his grin faded. "Hey, Terra? How much of Raven's body can you see?"

"Um..." Terra squinted a bit. "From what I can tell, we can only see her head, and below her knees."

"And... where are Solor's hands?"

The two stared for a moment, and slowly blushes formed on their faces as their eyes widened at where there brains were taking them.

"Wanna forget that we even thought of that?"

"I'm gonna need some brain bleach to get rid of that..."

As they quickly turned away and pretended they didn't see that, Raven couldn't help how fast her heart was beating. _That... was really sweet... _she thought. Slowly, her head fell back, and her eyes closed. _If he says something else like that, I might not be able to keep myself from blowing up the whole beach._

Solor, meanwhile, couldn't help the tiny smirk. The look on Raven's face as he told her that was simply adorable. "Do you wish for me to be silent for now?"

Raven nodded, quickly. "Yeah... can we just... enjoy the quiet for now?"

"Of course", Solor said, leaning against the tree more now.

XxXxXxX

"I think Solor's waking up... quick, take the picture!"

Solor's eyes slowly opened, looking up towards the voice just as he heard the distinct sound of a camera shutter. Once his vision stopped blurring, he saw Robin, Cyborg, Terra, Beast Boy, and Starfire all standing above him, looking at him in apprehension. The familiar weight told him that Raven was, indeed, still sitting on his lap, and the sound of her soft breathing told him that she was asleep as well. He glared upwards at the group, locking eyes with the others.

"You are very lucky that I do not wish to wake her up", Solor told them in a low tone. "Walk away now, and you can keep the photo... as long as I do not find it online." He didn't care about the photo; as long as the civilians didn't get their hands on it, it wasn't a big deal. The team quickly nodded, heading out. "Just tell Raven that we didn't want to move her while she slept", Robin told the dragon. "The sun's setting, so its time for us to go home."

"I understand", Solor told Robin. "Now go, before she wakes up and kills you for spying on us." The leader of the team beat a hasty retreat, as Solor gently shook Raven's shoulder, eliciting a groan from the empath. "Ruuvak... it's time to wake up."

The purple-haired beauty slowly opened her eyes, looking around. "W-what time is it?" she asked, letting out a small yawn.

"It's late; the sun is setting. I would look at my communicator and tell you, but that would involve moving my wing to reach it, and I knew you wouldn't appreciate that", Solor answered, and he felt her stiffen. "Worry not... the team left a while ago... we must've looked very tired to them. You certainly need a chance to rest... this business with Alduin is affecting you more than you show."

Raven nodded dumbly, before deciding enough was enough. "Could you... stand up, please? I'll take us back to the tower."

"Of course", the dragon said with a nod. He held her close as he stood up, somehow missing her blush as he placed her down on the sand. Once they she was balanced, she used her magic to teleport them back to the tower, ending up in her room. He had been invited inside a few times, and he knew it was an honor, coming from her at this time. Finally, he closed his eyes as he unfurled his wings, letting her step forward. "I had a nice day today", he told her.

"Yeah...", she said, looking back at him, noticing that his eyes were already closed. "You know... you're being a lot nicer about this than I thought you would be."

Solor frowned, though his eyes remained shut. "You're my friend, Ruuvak. And it was obvious the whole beach thing was bugging you more than you wanted us to see. If you ever need assistance again... well, I care about you. I will always be willing to help."

Raven smiled softly at his sweet gesture. She felt the urge pop up in her heart, and without thinking, she stepped forward, hugging him gently. The sudden contact caused his eyes to snap open, as he looked down. She glanced back up at him, still smiling. "I'll take you up on that offer." She then gently pushed him backwards, forcing him out the door before it closed, leaving him alone in the hall.

The dragon was silent. The information he gained from this day was certainly something he wouldn't forget, especially when it came to dealing with human girls... but right now, only one thing pervaded his thoughts.

_... just like a multicolored gem_, he thought, with a small smile forming on his face. He turned away, walking down the hall with his hands in his pockets.

_So rare... and yet so beautiful._

**XxXxXxX**

**Well, that took longer than I wanted, but that means I can focus on the next chapter that much sooner.**

**Anyway, here's my review responses to those that mentioned something OTHER than the lack of OC X Starfire pairing...**

**LordGhostStriker: Well, I have decided that most of the dragons that belong in Lair are of... different designs. Solor would probably look like a western dragon, while Water dragons would resemble more of sea serpents, and Earth dragons... would essentially be Godzilla, but with a more earthy appearance. I haven't finalized entirely what the dragons would look like, but if I mention other dragons within the story, I should have a final design for them. Hell, I'd probably draw what they look like if I had any talent.**

**Zero-tailed jinchuuriki: Yeah, unfortunately, I couldn't come up with a dragon language on my own, so I had to borrow Skyrim references. If I can, I would probably try to rework the story so that the language is more... not skyrim, but oh well.**

**Splinter1: Thanks for throwing in your two cents, dude. Much appreciated.**

**Anyway, I hope you all are looking forward to... The End. I'm gonna look at dragon artwork, and try to decide on designs for all of the dragons.**


	13. The End

**Finally, what everyone has been waiting for. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... The End.**

**XxXxXxX**

"What are you doing up so early?"

Raven hastily hid her arms, willing the markings to go away. "I could ask you the same thing", she said, turning to the dragon as he stepped forward. He walked over to the edge of the tower, looking at the sun as it rose.

"Light dragons tend to be up early when the sun is shining bright like this", Solor told her. "The light of hope… the promise of a new day… it's always a good sign to us."

"Are all Light dragons this optimistic this early?"

"Most of us, yeah." He turned over to her, noting her looking at him with a smile.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

It turns out letting Raven cook - for the first time, might I add - was a terrible idea. She was making what looked to originally be pancakes, but the temperature on the stove top was way too high, ending with the outside of said concoctions being completely charred. An attempt to flip one of these beasts ended up with it wearing across the room, and Robin, who was also an early riser, was barely able to keep it from breaking his arm when it hit his plate.

"Nice flip", he said with a strained smile, as the others came into the room.

"Morning", Raven greeted the others. She managed to scrape the other… things off of the stove and placed them on a large plate for the entire team to see. "Pancakes?"

Everyone stared in confusion at the plate before them. "Um…" Terra started.

"Thanks?" Beast Boy stated, though it was more of a question.

"What is the occasion?" Strafer asked, giving Raven a kind smile.

"Can't I do something nice for my friends?" Raven asked, her eye twitching a tiny bit.

"Um… yeah, but…", Cyborg said, staring at the pancakes. It looked like one of them moved.

"You never have before", Beast Boy pointed out. However, seeing the suddenly depressed look on her face caused him to change his tune, as he quickly placed one of the "pancakes" onto his plate. "Well, there's a first time for everything." With a nervous chuckle, he took a bite, as did the rest of the team.

The results were instantaneous. Starfire's face beamed, while Robin's eyes merely widened. Cyborg opened his mouth in disgust, while Beast Boy had to cover his mouth to keep from puking. Terra, on the other hand, brought a napkin up to her mouth, discreetly spitting out the terrible thing she had taken a bite of.

Solor had the most obvious reaction. He had to squint his eyes shut and purse his lips, the taste was so bad. But, to everyone else's shock, he chewed up the first bite he had, and swallowed it promptly… which had him leaning his head against the table. "Thank you, Raven… but I am not hungry anymore." He saw her shoulders sink, and gave a sigh, unable to say much else as he focused on easing his stomach, which was now hurting him for giving it such a displeasing thing to digest.

"Don't you think it's nice of Raven to make us breakfast?" Robin asked, noticing Cyborg pulling out a syrup bottle and try to drown his pancake in it.

"Even though the girl has no clue how to cook", Cyborg muttered. Robin leaned over, nudging the metal man and pointing to Raven, who looked even more depressed than before. "Oops, did I say that out loud? Yum!"

"Burnt on the outside", Starfire said, taking a bite of her burnt foot, "yet runny on the inside. Just like the incinerated glorka roaches of my home world." She finished off her plate, no problem, and when she asked for more, everyone handed theirs over. "What a glorious way to start the day."

As Starfire finished off everyone else's food, Solor glanced at Raven. Why was she being so nice now? Was it the day of the prophecy? Or was she truly just being nice? He couldn't tell, either way. She was quite the mystery, even to the dragon. He blinked as she suddenly leaned against the counter, looking at everyone.

"So, I was thinking… after breakfast, do you guys wanna, you know… hang out or something?" Raven asked, trying to force a smile on her face. The result, however, was a pained expression, and everyone stared as she looked at them for an answer. However, Robin's communicator went off at that very moment.

"It'll have to wait", Robin said, as the team started heading out. Raven let out a soft sigh, before pulling her hood up and following after them.

XxXxXxX

"Plasmus… it's just Plasmus…" Raven said with a smile of relief. She heard a window break to her right, and looked over, seeing a rhino sized dent in a nearby building as Beast Boy got up, rubbing his head.

"Yeah, but he's still ugly as ever", the changeling stated, before jumping back into the fray. The purple blob had picked up a tanker, filled with radioactive waste, as the civilians ran and screamed, hoping to get away safely.

"Put down the tanker, you big glob of goo!" Robin demanded, being carried by Starfire. When the monster complied by throwing it directly at him, Robin easily ran along the moving platform and threw an ice bomb at the villain, freezing him entirely before Beast Boy ran through as a t-rex, destroying the ice statue, and forcing Plasmus to reform. "Titans, go!" Robin commanded, as they all approached the glob.

Solor attempted first to do some damage, but his claws simply swiped through the substance that was Plasmus' body with no resistance, while the monster backhanded him, sending him flying back. He was expecting to hit a building or something, but he was surprised by Raven reaching out with her powers, and placing him back down on the ground.

"Thank you, Ruuvak!" he called out, flapping his wings and taking off towards Plasmus again. "I owe you one!"

"Yeah… sure…" Raven said softly before rejoining the battle.

Cyborg, thanks to a few upgrades, was able to easily lift an abandoned building, and used it as a club to send the monster flying, hitting the ground hard. When the Titans arrived, there was a man sleeping in the crater, but it wasn't enough as his eyes opened up again, giving into Plasmus' control. Terra, thinking quickly, covered the crater with her earth, forcing the goo to seep out slowly. However, eventually he got free, and wrapped around the nearest targets… which happened to be both Terra and Cyborg. Starfire, meanwhile, pushed through Plasmas to free them, ending with all of them being covered in green slime.

"That was most unpleasant", the tamranean stated, while Raven blocked an attack from the monster. Quickly, Plasmus retreated, grabbing another waste truck and promptly drinking it's contents, while Beast Boy flew in close as a bird, pecking the monster repeatedly. Annoyed, the beast grabbed the changeling, and looked like it was ready to finish off the teen, but a green feather landing on where it's nose should be caused a loud sneeze, and the green teen to be launched a bit aways.

"Ew…" he groaned as he sat up. "The only thing worse than goo…"

"Sneeze goo", Raven stated as she flew by.

"Gross…" Beast Boy said with a shudder.

Finally, Raven had enough, slicing off Plasmus' arm as he attempted to grab Terra again. "Let's just finish this", she said, crossing her legs and going into a lotus position in the air. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Her soul seemed to exit her body, charging towards the monster and entering it with no problem. Promptly, Pasmus exploded, and the host body was seen unconscious in the center of it all. Raven's body, now covered in purple goo and her hood forced back, lowered to the ground once the soul rejoined, as everyone stood below, waiting.

"Nice work", Solor stated with a thumbs up.

"Who wants pizza?" Raven asked, brushing her hair back with a soft smile.

XxXxXxX

After a couple hours of eating pizza, the team came to the usual disagreement; who got the last slice.

"I deserve the last slice! I was covered in goo!" Cyborg argued.

"In that case, I deserve it more!" Terra pointed out. "I was stuck in his body with you, remember?!"

"No way, dudes, I deserve the last slice!" Beast Boy objected. "I got sneezed on!"

"I flew through the goo!" Starfire pointed out, letting out a disgusted shudder. "The last slice is mine!" She hit the table hard, causing a minor shockwave. The rest of the team, not wanting to argue with her, gave her the slice… except for Solor. Before she could touch it or put mustard on it, Solor's claw swiped the piece and he promptly ate it, letting out a smile as he munched on the treat. "Friend Solor, how could you be so vile?! That piece was mine?!"

"Truly?" Solor said, giving her a smug look. "I did not see thine name on it."

"You are a clorbag!" Starfire bickered, her eyes starting to shine green.

"Your loyalties are questionable at best!" Solor threw back. At everyone's confused stares, he sank into his seat, blushing. "Sorry, that was the best I could come up with without being mean…" Everyone started cracking up, and even Starfire's anger faded as she giggled at the dragon.

"You're awfully quiet over there", Robin pointed out, looking at Raven.

"Just enjoying hanging out with my friends", the goth said with a small smile.

After the pizza, the team went for a walk in the park, with Raven taking the lead. Everyone was quiet, enjoying the sunny weather, before Beast Boy let out a startled yelp, causing everyone to turn to him. "Find a penny, pick it up…" he started, displaying his prize proudly. Then his smile faltered, as he thought about the next half. "Um… something, something, something, good luck! It's my lucky day!"

Raven quickly tucked her hand back under her cloak, dispelling the magical energy she had built up. His sudden cry had startled her, and she thought that maybe… it was time. But she thought to herself, _I still have time… I can still give them this…_

"Anyone up for a game of Extreme Stankball after lunch?" Cyborg asked, procuring a ball made of Beast Boy's socks from seemingly nowhere.

"Yeah, sure."

Raven's response shocked everyone, as Beast Boy stopped celebrating his finding of his penny. "But you hate anything extreme… or stanky."

"Maybe I never gave it a chance", Raven defended. Strafer took this moment to float up to her.

"Raven, would you still have the time to join me and Terra in the painting of the toenails later today?" she asked.

"Yeah, I could try to give you a new hairdo, and we can engage in some girl talk", Terra added, though she didn't look as enthusiastic.

"Sounds like fun", Raven said, smiling a bit.

"Okay, what gives?" Robin asked, scratching his chin.

"Pancakes, pizza, stankball, toenails…" Solor listed, looking suspicious.

"Yeah, and she hasn't called me stupid all day", Beast Boy pointed out.

"I just want everyone to have a nice day today", Raven insisted. "Come on. We have a lot to do before sunset." However, those plans were immediately shot as the sky became dark, and Raven let out a gasp. She turned slowly to the team, and reached out to them before stumbling and falling, the red marks making her body glow like a neon light.

"Ruuvak!" Solor called out, moving first as her body hit the ground. He gently lifted her head, as she looked dazed and scared. She let out a low groan as she looked over at them.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Robin asked, his face now serious. "It's happening, isn't it?"

"Please, Raven… today is the day? It is…?" Starfire asked, unwilling to finish that statement.

"The end of the world", Raven finally spoke up, tears forming in her eyes as she closed them, silently crying.

Solor glanced over to Robin, who nodded. Without any effort, the dragon picked her up, carrying her bridal-style as the team headed back to the tower as quickly as they could. She was so out of it, Raven didn't realize when they got back. Once she started thinking straight again, she noticed the team was taking her down a hall she hadn't seen before.

"Okay, everyone. Just as we planned", Robin said, causing Raven to look over at him.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked.

"You said there was nothing we could do. We didn't agree", Robin stated. "So we've been preparing for this day." They arrived at a thick door, with only a hand scanner nearby. Robin placed his palm on the device, and when the door opened, Raven could see a blue room, marked along the walls with designs she recognized as warding runes.

"You did all of this… for me?" she asked, staring in shock.

"We're ready to take on Trigon", Robin told her, causing her to shake her head.

"No, you can't be. Just go, save yourselves", she told them.

"We're not giving up, and neither are you", Terra told the empath, steeling her gaze. "Our plan is simple. You're the portal, and Trigon needs you to take over the world."

"But if Trigon can't get to you, then he can't take over", Cyborg stated.

"So all we must do is to keep the Trigon from getting to Raven", Starfire finished.

"You _can't_", Raven said, trying to get them to see reason. It didn't work.

"We will", Robin told her. They brought her into the room, where Solor finally put her down.

"You'll be safe here", Cyborg told her, explaining how the room worked. "Everything's rigged. I've installed all of the latest state of the art technology. Nothing alive is getting in here."

"And these symbols should keep out everything else", Starfire said, holding up a book. "We took them from your books." A couple pages fell as Beast Boy piped up.

"Just in case you need some extra mojo", he told her.

"This is all… great, but it's not gonna make a difference", Raven told them. "Today the prophecy will be fulfilled. Trigon is coming. There is no stopping him."

"There's never been a villain we couldn't stop before", Robin pointed out.

"Trigon isn't a villain. He's the incarnation of evil, the source of all darkness, the-"

"Okay, we get it", Beast Boy said.

"He's a really bad dude", Terra said. "We can still take him."

"No, you can't. You don't know Trigon."

"Trigon doesn't know the Titans. Stay in here", Robin commanded, before pointing to an observatory window. "We'll be watching from up there if you need us."

As the team started to leave, Raven called out to the resident dragon. "Solor, please… tell them that this is pointless", she begged. "You're just as scared as I am… You can't even call him by his name. You know how terrible he is… please, tell them the truth."

"The truth?" Solor asked, turning to her. He glowered a bit, as his green eyes began to glow. "The truth is, Raven… if push comes to shove… I will stand outside of this door, and I will fight off anyone who comes this way. Even if Alduin…" The dragon shook his head, growling a bit. "Even if _Trigon _himself walks down this hall." He stepped forward to her. "And I know he can hear me through you. So I will speak to him directly." He pulled her close, and whispered in her ear.

"If you force her to go through with this… then I… Starborn of the Light… will end you."

XxXxX

"Trigon has contacted her."

The team was monitoring all actions of both Raven and the surrounding area. Thanks to the sensors, Solor could see the army coming. He let out a soft sigh.

_This may very well be my last battle_, he thought. _I better make it count._

"We have company", he told the team. They quickly moved out, heading to the shoreline to counter the threat, which turned out to be Slade.

"We're ready for you", Robin told the resurrected man.

"Give me the girl", Slade told them, his mark glowing bright in the darkness.

"No way", Robin answered.

"You don't really have a choice in the matter, Robin", Slade chastised. "I'm taking her."

"Oh yeah? You and what army?" Beast Boy taunted. However, his jaw dropped in shock as, out of literally nowhere, wraiths made of flames appeared, as if they had been there the whole time.

"You just had to ask, didn't you?" Terra grumbled. However, the team immediately got to work on fighting off, bringing out their strongest attacks, and hitting with everything they had. Terra summoned hulking golems, using them to fight the wraiths as best as she could. But even after hitting a large section, the servants of Trigon overwhelmed the puppets, and reduced them to rubble.

Starfire corralled a bunch of them into one spot, before bringing her hands together, forming a giant Starbolt and hitting the ground as hard as she could, destroying all of them in the massive explosion. As soon as the dust settled, though, tendrils of flame shout out, grabbing at her and forcing her to the ground.

Beast Boy, in turn, opted to release the Beast, a primal form that took every bloodthirsty instinct he had and brought it forward. With raking claws, he was able to deal a large blow to the wraith army, but once they gathered together, he stood no chance as he was sent flying.

Solor, meanwhile, conserved his most powerful attack. He knew, if he used his Blessing, he would be exhausted by the time it was over. He held back on it, but still fought as hard as he could, swiping his claws and tail all over the place. Eventually he was piled on top of, and could no longer move, no matter how hard he struggled.

Cyborg was able to make modifications to his weapon system well before today, and plugged into the tower itself, using his arsenal of sonic canons to destroy almost all of the army. But more just kept coming, and his power cell was drained. He couldn't fight back as the army pushed against him.

Finally, Robin fought Slade one on one, using his martial arts expertise to hit Slade as hard as he could. But since Slade was no longer alive, he felt no pain, and eventually grabbed Robin's leg, and slammed him hard against the ground.

"Do you really want to spend your last day on Earth fighting?" Sade asked, glaring at the teens.

"This is NOT my last day!" Robin refuted, struggling under Slade's boot. The mercenary merely summoned a fireball into his hand, almost ready to prove the Boy Wonder wrong.

"STOP!" came the command, and almost immediately, the army backed off, releasing the Titans and allowing them to see as Raven stepped away from the tower. "I will go with you", she said in a resigned tone.

"We won't let them take you!" Robin said, getting in front of her as the others surrounded her.

"Get back into the safety room… NOW", Solor commanded, snarling at the army.

"I can't hide from my destiny any longer", Raven told them all, as everyone's hope began to fall from their eyes.

"No…" Terra said, before screaming in pain. Raven had cast a spell, and assaulted all of them directly. Thanks to being caught off guard, she was able to knock them all out, and turned to leave, following Slade as they headed for the summoning altar.

What she failed to notice, as they left, was Solor being the first to get up, his eyes glowing green.

XxXxXxX

As Raven and Slade walked down the halls of the library, she glanced over to Slade. "You're a fool", she told him. "Whatever Trigon promised, he won't deliver."

"Dear child", Slade responded in a condescending tone, "you don't know what you're talking about."

"You think I don't know my own father?" she asked him as they continued walking.

"You are merely the portal", Slade told her. "An insignificant pawn in Trigon's game."

"Then I guess we have that in common", Raven stated. "And once he has what he wants, you'll be insignificant, too."

Slade's anger spiked at that. "Shut your mouth!" he growled, his hands and eye glowing with power. What he wasn't expecting, though, was for the wraith's to restrain him, hold him back from her. "Get off of me! Do as I command!" They ignored him, though, tightening their grip and bringing him to his knees.

"Come to think of it, Slade", the empath said, a wraith forcing him to look up at her, "you're already insignificant." Her eyes opened, glowing a blood red… as a second pair appeared above the first. "Even your own army won't listen to you." She turned to the wraiths. "Leave him." They obeyed immediately, dropping him and continuing to follow her.

That was when a loud roar filled the hall, and everyone turned to see Solor glaring down at them, his eyes glowing bright green.

"Get away from Ruuvak!" he roared, charging forward, and starting to push through. The wraiths, however, pushed back, trying their best to hold back. Raven wanted to go to him… but her fate was sealed. She instead continued down the hall, as Solor snarled, his body starting to glow.

As she entered the altar room, she heard him roaring louder than before, and she turned around to see him breaking past the wraiths, his body glowing in a white light. Realizing what he was doing, she moved her hand to the side, and the minions vanished. The Blessing faded from Solor's body, and he panted a bit, before walking up to her, while the rest of the team came walking in behind him.

"It has already begun", she told them, lowering her hood. "There is no stopping what is meant to be."

"You're willing to give up everything because of some prophecy you heard as a child?" Robin asked. "What if it's wrong?"

"I know what I know", Raven told him.

"I refuse that", Solor said, stepping up. "You can change your destiny, Raven. Take control… choose to not let it happen!"

"I knew my whole life this day would come", Raven told him. "I tried to control my inner darkness… I tried to help people, become a hero… I thought that it would make up for the horrible thing that I'm destined to do."

"No one knows their destiny", Solor refuted, though he would be the pot calling the kettle black at this point. He knew now she was not going to change her mind. This was going to happen, no matter what he said. "There are things you can't possibly know."

"You're right… there are things I didn't know. Like how I would make… such amazing friends", she told them. "I wanted your last day to be perfect… and you spent it worrying about me."

"That's what friends do, Raven", Robin said.

"And as my friends… you have to let me go." Not willing to listen anymore, Raven erected a barrier, cutting them off from her as she ascended the pillar.

Solor fought especially hard, punching the barrier, clawing at it, even shooting fireballs at a rapid rate out of his mouth at many points, hoping to find a spot that was weaker than others. But he stopped as she neared the top, and yelled out to her repeatedly. "Ruuvak! Don't do it! RUUVAK!"

"The gem was born of evil's fire… the gem shall be his portal", she recited slowly, the red marks beginning to glow. "He comes to claim… he comes to sire… the end of all things mortal." With a final scream, her body was enveloped by the markings, and Solor watched in horror as she became the portal, opening the way for Trigon. The colossus of red stood before them, grinning maliciously.

"The Earth is MINE!"

With those words, the world ended as a blanket of red swept the entire planet.

XxXxXxX

The titans stared at the world around them. Thanks to… something, they had managed to survive the attack. After being separated briefly, they all arrived at the same point - a crumbling tower that Raven had fallen off of when Solor was forced to save her - and stared at what their city had become. The people down below were petrified, and the buildings were barely hanging in their place. Solor looked around, staring, silently hoping that there was another dragon out here, looking to fight back against Trigon.

But he knew nobody would be here.

"We're the only ones left", Cyborg said.

"But how?" Terra asked. "I thought once Big Red showed up, everything was supposed to go?"

"It was Raven", Beast Boy said gently. "I don't know how… but she saved us."

"Back at the tower", Solor mused. "When Raven knocked us all out… I heard her voice. She told us to be safe. She did something that protected us." His eyes became downcast. "Even when she had given up on herself, she had not given up on us."

"Like it matters", Cyborg said with a scoff. "Look around. There's nothing left. What's the point of saving us?"

"Hope", Robin stated. "That's the point. As long as we're here, as long as we're still alive, we still have a chance."

"And that's why we shall keep fighting… for Raven", Solor said, extending his hand. He did not smile, though, as he glanced at the others.

"For Raven", Starfire affirmed, placing her hand on his.

"For Raven", Robin said next.

The other three nodded, saying together, "For Raven", before placing their hands on the others. Then, a jolt of black energy arced through their bodies before they separated.

"Okay… that felt weird", Cyborg commented.

"Raven might be gone… but she left us something to fight with", Robin said, his hand glowing with black energy.

The Titans all nodded, understanding, and took to the sky. They approached Titan's tower, where their enemy sat in wait, drawing his strength.

After all, ending the world took a lot of energy.

"Trigon! Stand up and fight!" Robin yelled as they got close.

"Insignificant insects", the demon grumbled, ignoring them.

"Time to bring out the big guns then", Terra said, glaring at them.

"You're sure this won't accidentally microwave our brains?" Beast Boy asked.

"As if you use it", Solor quipped angrily, getting a glare in response.

"I have used Raven's powers before", Starfire told them. "They are drawn by emotion. The more we feel, the more energy is released."

"In other words… get angry", Cyborg told them.

"My specialty", Solor said, already thinking of a few certain moments in the past that made him truly angry.

The six teens floated into the air, hands linked together as they focused on their rage, forcing it to the front. With a loud chant, they released their anger, hitting the demon hard and actually eliciting a sound from him. For a moment, it looked like it was working.

Until Trigon smiled. "You are wise to attack when I am drawing my strength", he told them, his eyes glowing brighter. "But as you can see, not even a farewell blessing from my daughter can help you. Begone." A blast of red light shot out from his eyes, and the team was sent flying, landing back in the ritual room that Trigon had been summoned from.

"Of all the places to crash and burn… why did it have to be here?" Beast Boy asked as he stood up.

"Please… I wish to leave this place", Starfire said with a slight whimper.

"And go where?" Terra asked. "The world is toast, and the only person who'd know what to do is…"

Cyborg let out a sigh. "We could really use her help right now."

Solor walked up the steps that used to lead to the altar, staring at the remains of where the portal had been. "I know what we saw… but I can't believe it. I refuse to believe it. I…" He paused, correcting himself. "We can't have lost Raven. She can't be gone."

"Then you're in luck", came a familiar, cool voice. "Because she isn't." The team turned to see a familiar mercenary… now lacking a certain mark that had been on his head.

Robin moved to attack Slade, but Solor stopped them, already moving in front of the mercenary. "So… pawn… it looks like your master refused to honor his deal."

Slade glared at Solor, but did not refute the statement. "I know where your friend is", he told them. "Raven is still alive."

"But… we saw her become the portal", Starfire said.

"That part of her existence is over, true", Slade said. "But there is another part of her that lingers… for the time being."

"Then tell us where she is, and we'll handle it from there", Terra said with a growl.

"There is no 'we'", Slade told them. "This is a journey only one of you can take." As he spoke, he walked to where the altar used to be, looking down at the stairs that descended deep into the earth.

"No deal", Beast Boy denied. "Raven's our friend, and we're all going."

"Then she is doomed", the mercenary said with a shrug. "Trigon is all knowing. His mind can be at any place at any time. For us to succeed, his attention must be occupied."

"And how do you expect us to do that?" Cyborg asked, glaring at Slade. "We already tried fighting him! Look where it got us!"

"It's the end of the world", Solor suddenly said. "Did you expect it to be easy?" He walked forward. "We're not expected to succeed… or even survive. We're expected to endure."

"Are you volunteering?" Sade asked, looking at Solor with a surprised glint in his eye.

"I am", he said. "As much as I hate you, and wish to put you back in your grave… I will follow you to Raven, and I will bring her back safely."

Slade nodded, before turning to Terra and handing her a golden band with red markings. "This is the ring of Azar, forged by the same organization that sealed Trigon away. I know from experience that it works… it will protect you."

"Be safe", Solor said, getting a hug from Starfire.

"And you, as well", she told him.

"Don't worry", Cyborg said with a smile now. "We'll keep him busy."

Solor nodded, before turning back to Slade. "We're ready", he told the mercenary.

"Good… because we have work to do."

XxXxXxX

"I assume you did it for revenge."

The two travelers had arrived at their first way point, a ferry sitting in the lava below. Slade was in charge of rowing, while Solor was steering the ship.

"Assuming I did what?" Slade asked.

"Working for Trigon. Agreeing to bring him Raven", Solor said calmly. "You don't like the fact that I beat you… that I did something you didn't think I would ever do… that I went against my leaders' orders and killed a mortal. So you wanted to be brought back… so you could face me."

"You think so highly of yourself", Slade told the dragon.

"I know you, Slade", Solor insisted. "I know that you targeted me because I had chased you off, protected my team from you so many times. You were angry at me, and you wanted me to hurt." The dragon glared harshly at the mercenary. "I find it no coincidence that you sought to work with my enemies, that you struck a deal with the one being that all dragons are afraid of."

"Save your ramblings", Slade suddenly said, interrupting Solor. "We have company." More of the fire wraiths had started to surround them again, coming out of the sides of the river of lava that they were floating in. The dragon nodded quickly, and flapped his wings, taking to the air. A good chunk of the enemy followed him, and he snarled as he swiped at them in a circle, easily removing the group that had been able to surround him. He then flipped in the air, striking down a line of them with his tail.

Slade, meanwhile, was jumping from platform to platform, using the pole that moved the boat along as a weapon, spinning it rapidly as the enemies got close, before attacking with broad, powerful attacks. He grunted whenever he leapt from platform to platform, hitting those that got too close, before he leapt without looking, and saw that the platform he had been aiming for was much too small for him to land on safely.

Solor, however, saved him from a fiery fate, and pulled him to a much larger platform, snarling at the wraiths. Once the two landed, Solor flared his wings, flapping them forward and buffeting a good chunk of the remaining force away into the walls, before Slade struck out at the stragglers, destroying them and leaving only the dragon and himself.

"Surprising", Slade said to the dragon, turning and glancing at him. "I was certain that you would have let me fall."

"If you die, then I have no way to get to Ruuvak", Solor responded simply. "I need you to live so I can bring her back."

Slade nodded, shifting as they continued walking. Eventually, though, the mercenary spoke to him again. "I am surprised that you so willingly opted for the nonviolent route. Your people value strength and loyalty above all else. I would have thought you wanted to fight Trigon, especially for using your friend like that."

"I will hold my fight for Trigon's head for later", Solor stated. "I will require Ruuvak's presence first; she takes priority."

"Why, Starborn… one would think that you have chosen her to be your mate with words like that", Slade said to him. Silence was his only answer as they continued walking.

Finally they came to a split in the road, and Slade pointed down the path that Solor was closest to. "I'm afraid this is where we part company. You'll find your friend if you continue this way."

"And you?" Solor asked.

"My prize is in a… hotter place", Slade said simply, turning around and starting down a bridge over more lava.

"No double-cross? No cryptic threats?" Solor asked, glaring at the mercenary. "Very unlike you, Slade."

"I kept my word", he said, turning around and facing the dragon. "Would you prefer to fight me now?"

Solor growled a bit, staring at Slade. "Your existence is an abomination in the First's plan, Slade Wilson." The two stared at each other for a good, long while, before Solor turned away. "If I ever see you again… I will kill you."

"I would expect nothing less", Slade said, as he turned and continued down his path. Solor glance down the path the mercenary had pointed him down, flapping his wings and moving quickly. Despite his speed, he noted that the path seemed to stretch for miles. Eventually, he landed, seeing that the cavern had opened much wider, and he could see the ruins of a building nearby. What put him off guard, though, where four columns with flames atop them stood. The stone was marked with faces twisted in agony, and he snarled a bit.

"I know that you will hinder my path", he said aloud. "Come forth and fight me."

The wraiths, knowing their target was aware of them, all emerged from the pillars, glaring at their enemy. Solor, in response, flexed his claws, snarling.

"I will find her… and you can't stop me!"

XxXxXxX

Starfire had heard of the common phrase, "you are your worst enemy". She never thought that it could be taken literally.

In order to distract Trigon, the group of five had directly attacked him again, this time foregoing the gift that Raven had left them. They didn't need to hurt him; they just needed to keep him focused on them. So, imagine their surprise when he used his magic to bring their darker, more sinister sides to life. All of them shared the distinct characteristics of red eyes and grey clothes and bodies, and all of them targeted the originals, attacking with more ferocity than they had ever used in their hero-ing career.

Cyborg's clone used his weakness of his body, and his emotional securities about losing his mother as a tool against hime, while Beast Boy's used his distinct refusal to eat meat, calling him an animal and saying no one would love him. Terra was struck hard by her own fear of losing control of her powers, and that she should have taken Slade's offer when she had the chance.

Starfire, however, was confronted with a familiar topic that hit too close to home.

"He hates you, you know", the grey girl said with a sneer. "That's why he didn't choose you. He can't stand being in the same room as you."

Starfire growled, and flew at a blinding speed, striking with glowing, green hands. "He does not! He is my friend! He trusts me, he enjoys my presence!"

"Please", said the evil clone with a wicked grin, blocking every one of Starfire's attacks. "He only tolerates you because you're Raven's friend. He wants to get her good graces, and in order to do that, he had to give you false hope." Starfire snarled at her clone's words, striking harder and faster. "And once he saves your dear friend… you will mean nothing to him."

Robin, on the other hand, glared at his opponent, who gave a sinister smirk. "You know… she doesn't even look at you. All she cares about is him. Take a look at her any time of the day, and you know that she's thinking about that monster."

"He isn't a monster", Robin countered. "He's the strongest one of us!"

"He's more terrified of Trigon than you are", the clone continued. "Why do you think he went after Raven? He wasn't saving her… he was saving his own scaly hide."

Robin glared. "Solor hates disloyalty more than anything else. What makes you think he'd so willingly betray us?" With that, Robin struck out hard with his staff.

_Hurry, Solor_, Robin thought, as his clone countered and kicked him hard in the gut. _We can't take much more of this._

XxXxXxX

"Who are you?"

Had Solor not recognized the scent immediately, he would not have believed this was Raven. She was small, she was… wearing white. And she looked absolutely terrified of him, an expression he had never seen on her face before. But the grey skin, the purple hair and eyes… the jewel on her forehead told him otherwise.

Solor immediately knew that she would run if he made any sudden moves. So, he placed her cloak down, before lowering himself to his knees, slowly, to make himself look smaller. "I… I am a friend", he told her. "I've come to take you home."

"What home?" she said. "I'm not on Azarath… where am I?"

"You are under Jump City", he told her. "And currently… something really bad has happened." He moved further to the ground, scratching into the dirt a bit. She flinched at that, but he made no other moves. "You are lost, yes? I will help you return home, if you wish."

"You… you're not like me", she told him suddenly. "You're old… and yet young at the same time. How is that…?"

Solor let out a low sigh, before shifting. The little girl let out a startled yelp as the teenage boy in front of her became a dragon the size of a horse, his wings folded against his back to keep from intimidating her. "I am not human, if that is what you mean. But you knew this already, did you not?" The girl seemed to inch away a bit, as he lowered his head. "I will not harm you… Raven. I wish to help you. If you want me to… then please climb on my back."

The girl stared back at him, and reluctantly nodded. She reached over slowly, patting between the two horns that sprouted from atop his skull. He closed his eyes, allowing her to come closer, until eventually he felt a weight on his back. When he turned, he had to stifle a chuckle despite the grim situation, as he saw her trying to awkwardly sit on him, but she couldn't get her leg over his shoulder. He reached over with his tail, lightly pulling her over a bit until she was sitting on his back, just in front of his wings.

"Do you wish to fly?" he asked her. When she shook her head, he nodded, turning and starting the long trek back. He would glance at her as they traveled, watching the shadows behind them to make sure nothing was trying to stop them, then to see if she was okay. Since he was able to take longer strides, they were moving faster than when he walked over to get her, but not fast enough for his liking.

On the other hand, he didn't want to make the girl uncomfortable. She looked young - possibly ten or younger now. She had lost at least seven years of her life by becoming the portal. Or had she? Did she really not know him?

"Would you mind if I told you a story?" he asked her. "It is a story of two good friends… and the troubles they faced." He coughed a bit, seeing that they were approaching the lava boat once more. As they settled in, he used his tail to grab the new pole that was sitting alongside the boat. "Two beings… both more powerful than the other realized, came to a world where no one would accept them. There, they met, and joined an alliance, fighting against monsters together with new allies who they would soon call their friends. Day after day, a new threat would rise, and day after day, the two would fight back these enemies.

"But as time went on, it was obvious that there was more reason for them to be disliked and hated by those who could not understand. The boy, vain, strong, and full of anger, feared that others would see him as a monster. The girl, fair, wise, and reserved, was told when she was young… that terrible things would happen because of her." At this point, they had reached the other side of the river of lava, where he stood again as Raven listened carefully to his words. "They helped each others in ways they did not expect. When the boy brought his concerns to the girl, she offered to ease his misery by seeing his memories, letting him sing for one he had lost a long time ago, even if it was only in a dream."

"And the girl?" Raven asked. "How did the boy help her?"

"By believing in her", he responded. "Her powers were dark, and her fate was cruel… but the boy never once faltered in his belief that things were better with her around."

At this point, the two were climbing up a steep slope, when the world around them began to shake. Solor gripped deeply into the mountain, and he could feel the girl's tiny hands struggling to keep their grip around his neck. When a sudden jerk caused her to let go, he turned, seeing the tiny girl screaming and flailing as she fell back down, towards the chasm that had opened up. His own eyes widened to huge proportions, and his own safety was discarded, as he let go, jumping down after her and angling his body so he fell faster. Eventually, he was able to swoop underneath her, catching her on his back before he flapped his wings again, flying back upward and landing on a safe perch. There, he placed her on the ground, before shifting back to his hybrid form. "Are you alright?" he asked, kneeling down. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"Starborn… why are you doing this?" came her soft, timid voice. The dragon's eyes widened as she looked upon him with familiarity now. "Your story… I can see it. Bits and pieces, anyway… I can see you, and our friends… my father… like it was a dream. A nightmare. Whatever it was… it's over now."

"There may still be a way for us to fight Trigon", Solor told her.

"There isn't", came the girl's reply, as she shook her head. "I remember that much. You came all this way for nothing."

"Not nothing", Solor refuted. "I came to bring you back to us."

"Why would you do that?" Raven asked, and he could see the tears in her eyes. "My powers came from him! Now that he's done with me, I can't fight anymore! The prophecy came true, and now everything is over!"

There was a moment of silence as he looked down at her. He then sighed gently. "You are right. The world has indeed ended… but we still fight. Our friends are fighting right now, to keep us safe."

"It's pointless", Raven said, her eyes closing. "There's no hope."

Solor lifted her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Do you remember what I told you about this morning?" he asked her. "The light of the sun is a promise of a new day, Raven. If you have no hope in that… then I will bring you the hope you so desperately need." He gave her a warm smile, and her own face it up a light shade of pink, before he shifted back into his horse-sized form, kneeling down to let her ride him again. This time, however, she got a tighter grip on him, and he knew it was okay to fly again, as his wings unfolded and he took off into the air.

Once the two had reached the surface, it was only a matter of following the sounds of explosions before they found the others in the team. He landed on the ground, letting the girl on his back down before shifting to his hybrid form, letting out a roar before breathing out a steady stream of emerald flames, chasing off the wraiths that were attacking his friends.

"Solor!" came the overjoyed cry from Starfire, leading the others to him.

"You're alive! Thank God you're alive!" Terra said, a big grin on her face.

However, that was when everyone finally noticed the purple haired child clinging to his leg, looking at them all with fear.

"Raven?" Robin asked, his eyes wide.

XxXxXxX

"So, her powers are gone?" Cyborg asked, the hope falling from his face. "She can't help us?"

"At least we still have that Ring of Azar so Trigon can't…" Beast Boy's words trailed off as Terra held up the band… or the golden fragments of what used to be their shield. "Ah, crud…"

"This is it", Robin said with a growl. "One final attack. Him or us… all or nothing." The rest of the team nodded, but it was Solor's snarl that cut them off.

"No. Him… or me", Solor said. He glanced at them all. "You're exhausted… these… clones that you have told me of have weakened you… you're barely even able to stand now. It is only because of your adrenaline that you can stay brave… but if you attempt to fight him… you will die."

"Solor, you can't be serious", Terra stated. "It's the end of the world. There's nothing else we can do but fight."

"You can keep Raven safe", Solor pointed out. "You can take her far away, and try to make our last moments happy. I will stay and fight… I have a promise I made to Trigon." Reluctantly, the others nodded, as Solor turned to the purple haired girl. "This is your story, Raven… it may be hopeless now… but you'll know what to do when the time comes."

That was when a low rumble shook the earth, and the barrier they had taken shelter behind was lifted by a large, red hand, and four cruel eyes stared down at them. "What strange vermin cower beneath my rocks?" Trigon's deep voice rumbled.

"What strange parasite plagues MY world?!" Solor answered, shifting to his true form. Instead of staying the size of a horse, though, the team gaped as he grew and grew, soon reaching a similar height as Trigon himself, glaring the monster in the eyes. **"I made you a promise, Alduin! Do not dare to think I have forgotten!"**

"Ah… the precious child of the First", Trigon said with a snarl lacing his malicious grin. "I will enjoy destroying one of his most beloved experiments."

Solor let out a truly angered roar, taking to the sky and breathing his emerald flames. The demon actually hissed as the flames made contact with his red skin, quickly moving his arms and blowing them away. The dragon flew down, raking at Trigon with his talons, and actually cutting deep into his arm, causing a loud howl of pain.

Once the sound hit her ears, Raven couldn't help but stare in shock. "I… I don't believe it…"

Trigon snarled, hitting Solor hard in the snout with a large, red fist, forcing the dragon to back off. However, Solor snarled in retaliation, lashing out with his teeth and biting at Trigon's neck, pushing both of them into the lava. Despite technically being shorter than the demon by a few meters, the dragon was fighting with much more ferocity than the Titans had ever seen. Terra grabbed Raven and pulled her close, using a rock to lift the both of them up as a wave of lava splashed nearby, while Starfire grabbed onto Robina and Beast Boy latched onto Cyborg. The dragon continued his assault, eventually biting onto one of Trigon's horns and actually twisting it off, leaving the demon to yell in more pain as blood gushed from the now open wound.

Trigon, however, was as crafty as he was terrible. In his newfound rage at being injured, the demon grabbed Solor's horn as well, twisting his head and pushing it under the lava, causing the bronze creature to let out a scream of pain when he was able to pull away. The demon then grabbed one of Solor's wings, intending to rip it off when a flaming axe flew through the air, slicing cleanly through Trigon's other horn. The Titans turned to see where it came from, and were shocked to see Slade standing on one of the buildings near the battle.

"For the record… I am _no one's _servant", he said with a glare.

Solor was soon able to stand up, glaring at Trigon, and moved to take another bite when the demon roared in rage. _"ENOUGH!" _A beam of light exited his eyes, and the crimson energy engulfed the dragon, who let out a loud roar before being sent flying into a cluster of buildings. The Titans saw the shape of the dragon shrink into the cluster, before they realized they, too, were being attacked. Terra tried to flee, but she too was hit, and Raven screamed as she fell to the ground. Once the dust settled, and she was able to look around, she saw her friends all around her, knocked out by Trigon's power. Finally, her amethyst eyes fell on Solor himself, shifted back into his hybrid form. "No!" she yelled, running over and shaking his shoulder. "Solor, please! Get up! Get UP! You told me to hope, so please, get up!"

There was a loud quake as she looked up, seeing her father glaring down at her. "You've outlived your usefulness", he told her. "Farewell, _dear daughter_." A beam of light shot out of his eyes, intending to end her life once and for all.

But a barrier of white surrounded her and Solor, protecting them both. She looked at her own hand in shock, seeing energy crackle from it. "How…?" she whispered.

Trigon snarled, glaring still. "You may have retained some of my power, but you are still no threat to me, little girl." He leaned down, getting as close as he could. "I am your creator, your master. You exist only to serve _me. _You survive _only _because _I allow it. _What hope can a mere _child _have of _defeating her all powerful FATHER?!_"

His words were cruel, and his anger was great. She knew she should fear him… that she should obey him. That without him, she would be dead now, and this world would be the first of many to fall.

But in that moment, when he called himself her _father_… Raven got _angry._

"You may have created me", she said, starting to stand. Her body was enveloped in a field of white light,so bright that even Trigon had to shield his eyes from its radiance. When the light faded, Raven had grown back into her original body, wearing still a white cloak and leotard. Her hair was now down to her back again, and her hands glowed with the sam white power she had before.

"But you were _never _my father." With a simple motion, a beam of light was shot forward, hitting the demon in the chest and eliciting a loud cry of pain. Trigon hissed at her, attempting to move closer.

"Wretched, insignificant-!" Trigon howled in pain again, as another beam hit him hard. The team, stirred by his loud voice, started to stand, staring as they saw Raven _single-handedly _push back her father.

"Fathers are _kind!_" She struck out at Trigon again with every sentence she spoke. "Fathers _protect _you! Fathers _raise _you!" The team moved forward, standing by Raven's side as her eyes began to glow white with power. "I was protected by the monks of Azarath! I was _raised _by my friends! _They _are my family! _This _is _my home!_" Using the energy she had given them before, Raven soared into the sky, practically snarling at Trigon, who could only stare in shock.

"_And you are not welcome here! __**Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!**__"_

With the final sentence, a bird of white light appeared, glaring at Trigon. With a simple flap of its wings, it rushed forward, hitting the World Eater as hard as it could, emitting a loud cry that echoed with Trigon's pain.

And just like that, the world was alive once more. The buildings, people, oceans, and everything in between, were returned to how they were before the portal was created. The Titans looked around, staring at the world around them, grins beginning to form on their faces.

They just stopped the end of the _world._

"Raven… that was…" Starfire began, too shocked for words.

"Unbelievable", Cyborg offered, as if it was the perfect word to describe what he had just seen.

"No, it wasn't", Raven said, giving them a kind smile. She then turned to Solor, who was approaching her, and suddenly threw her arms around him, pulling him close for a hug. "Somebody believed."

The dragon actually startled the others, by letting out a loud sniffle. When Raven pulled back to look at him, she was surprised to see him with tears in his eyes. "Solor… what's wrong? The world is safe, Trigon is gone… so why do you cry?"

The dragon sniffled more, shaking his head. "You… th-thought I was a-afraid of Trigon? No… what scared me most, R-Ruuvak…" That was when the dragon pulled her into a tight hug, startling everyone, including Raven. "… was that I m-might n-not have seen you a-a-again…"

Raven's eyes were wide, but she could feel his heart. She felt something she had never felt from him before… and it warmed her on the inside. She gave a gentle smile as she hugged him back.

Starfire looked on, a frown forming on her lips. She knew that she should be happy for Raven, happy that Solor was showing how much he cared for her. But at the same time… she had also cared deeply for Solor. Something like this wasn't as easy to let go, and she couldn't help but look away from what she saw.

No one noticed a pair of amber eyes watching them, a look of astonishment on the man's face.

_Starborn… fought him? _the man thought, quickly sinking into the shadows. _He fought the World Eater willingly… and almost won… had I not seen it, I would not believe it… _With a hushed voice, he summoned a portal, stepping into it.

_The Circle must learn of this…_

**XxXxXxX**

**LordGhostStriker: Starfire may still have some lingering emotions. After all, they got really close; she was going to confess to him before they fought. But... she is also a very kind and compassionate person. I think she'll handle this with grace.**

**... and I definitely could not use any other filler. Stranded, Overdrive, and Mother Mae-Eye would have all ended the same way, and adding Solor and Terra to the mix would just make writing those chapters so much more complicated. Once I can focus more on what adventures Solor brings to the table, I'll be able to write out more detailed chapters.**


	14. Back To Normal

**Here's the next one. Hopefully, you'll be able to see what each dragon looks like with my descriptions...**

**XxXxXxX**

"What news do you have to report?" came the elder woman's voice. "What happened to Alduin?"

The man with the amber eyes shifted slowly, his dark skin replaced by a green glow. His scales were a shining shade of emerald, and his neck stretched out until it was twice as long as his now 35 meter long body, with thick legs that reminded one of strong trees. His wings, while still large and magnificent, contained not scales, but large, vibrantly green feathers. His tail swept onto the ground, and his amber eyes looked up at the one who spoke. Her horns were much longer than his own, wrapping around and pointing forward like a bull's, but she otherwise looked much like him.

"Alduin... was defeated, Grand Life", the first dragon said, bowing his head with respect as he heard murmurs around him. "You were correct when you sensed that life still endured in the realm of mortals. Seven young heroes were able to survive his initial attack, and fought the World Eater despite how outmatched they were."

"Impossible", came a male voice, sounding younger than the old woman. Unlike the Life dragon, this one was a bright, ruby red. His back legs were taught with energy, while his wings wrapped onto the perch he stood on, glancing down at the subject. His horns twisted and turned upward, looking more like a pair of spikes protruding out of the top of his skull, while a trail of spines traveled down his back, stopping at the base of his short, red tail. "The flames of Alduin should have kept the realm of mortals completely under their control. And yet you say that these... humans were able to fight off the World Eater?"

"I did not say they were all human, Grand Fire", said the Life dragon in the center of the dormant volcano. "One of the combatants was a visitor from another world, and even the Herald of Alduin herself joined the battle at the very end. It was under her power that the World Eater was forced away from this world, and forever banished."

"Show us", came a cool voice of a young woman. A blue serpent began uncoiling herself, revealing large, blue fins located on her back and slightly smaller ones closer to the end of her long body. "We would see these events. Have you a Light partner that would assist you?"

The Life dragon nodded, as another bronze dragon, this one with violet eyes, stepped forward. The green one held up a large, iridescent crystal, while the Light dragon breathed a steady, slow flame onto the gem, and images began to appear in the air above it. The large beings that surrounded them looked up, seeing images of Trigon being forced back by a beam of white light, and Raven using all of her power to banish the demon away.

"Impossible", the elder green dragon said, her jaw dropping. "They were able to fight back Alduin... such strength is to be admired."

"There is more, Exalted Circle", the life dragon said, and the image shifted. "One of our own fought Alduin one on one. Had it not been for an unexpected attack... he might have won." Now the Circle watched the battle between Trigon and Solor, their jaws dropping in shock.

"The Banished Heir?" came a new voice, and the group turned. A grey dragon watched in disbelief, his withered wings thrown open in surprise. His skin was tight against his body, and most other dragons would look upon him with fear, as he looked like an almost-skeletal version of the Grand Fire. He was possibly the oldest dragon in the meeting, his voice definitely showing the years and wisdom he had accumulated. "What trickery is this? Starborn would never fight for humans! He is too selfish and arrogant to even think of it!"

"He never did request to return home", came another man's voice, this one proud and deep. They turned to the next bronze dragon, perched near the top of the group. His blue eyes showed little but a sense of pride for the image they saw. "My son never once asked to return home, even though he saw the signs of Alduin's ascent. He opted, instead, to stay and fight... much more than many of the First's children can admit." The Circle all glanced at each other, contemplating his words.

"So... what do you say, Grand Light?" came Life's voice, as she glanced over at him.

"I say that we allow him to return", Light responded. "He has spent more than enough time in the mortal world. He will return and finish his studies as Heir, and aid us with our new threat."

"And what of these reports of Starborn getting particularly close to the Herald of Alduin?" Death stated. "He is breaking a cardinal law if he has, indeed, fallen for her."

"Our laws dictate that a dragon may not claim a mortal as a mate", Water pointed out. "I see no harm in allowing him to date a human, as long as he makes no attempt to claim her as his."

Fire nodded. "Her fire will burn out long before his own. He knows the pain that he will endure should he choose to take her."

Life seemed to nod in agreement. "I see no harm. I move that Starborn be allowed back into Lair, to aid us in this mission."

Death grumbled a bit, but eventually nodded his consent.

"Then it is settled", said the deepest voice of them all, as everyone looked up to a single, yellow eye staring down at them. "Starborn of the Light is to return to Lair tomorrow evening. We shall send our agents to collect him. This meeting of the Grand Circle is adjourned."

XxXxXxX

Raven stared at her communicator, her leg slightly thumping against the bed. She knew she needed to use it; she needed advice on how to deal with this new situation. Since she had defeated Trigon, Solor had been acting... odd around her. Ever since his birthday, he had always been trying to be nice to everyone, but now she noticed he seemed to go out of his way to show her some kindness. When he woke up first, he'd make a cup of tea for her. He asked about what kinds of books she read, and even gave Beast Boy and Cyborg a glare of doom when they were being too loud on their video games. She appreciated it, but it seemed... odd, to say the least. Even the other Titans noticed, and when he was questioned, he would simply shrug and say, "Why not?" She could tell he was avoiding the question, though.

At first she wasn't sure what to make of it... until this morning.

_"Raven... do you have anything planned for this evening?"_

_The empath stared at the dragon, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her expectantly. "Um... I don't think so,"_ _she answered. "What's going on?"_

_"I just thought... that perhaps you and I could hang out. Just the two of us", Solor said, looking away for a moment. He wasn't wearing his scales, so she could see his cheeks turn a tinge of pink. The reaction was confusing, and she wasn't sure what to say._

_**Oh my AZAR, SAY YES! **__came one of her emoticlones. She couldn't tell which one it was. __**SAY YES! HE'S ASKING YOU OUT, SAY YES!**_

_"... are you asking me out?" she asked, wanting to clarify (while her emoticlones booed her for not immediately accepting). When he shifted his eyes away, she wasn't sure what to do. Her heart was beating a mile a minute now, and she felt an indescribable amount of joy... but she had to be reserved. Even if her emotions didn't affect her powers as much anymore, she still kept up the act, simply out of habit. "Why?" she asked. "I'm... a human, first off. Second -"_

_Solor quickly let out a slight growl, silencing her. "To answer that one question, I don't care anymore." That definitely got another raised eyebrow as a response, and he knew that he had to clarify. "If the Circle was going to bring me back anytime soon, they would have brought me back when Trigon attacked our world. Obviously, they still want me to live with humans a while longer. How long? I don't know. And in all honesty... I don't care if I ever return, now."_

_"Why wouldn't you care?" Raven asked. "That was the one thing, the _only _thing you cared about from day one. Why do you want to stay now?"_

_"Because then I won't be able to see you."_

_That simple answer did much more to affect her than she would ever admit. Her heart, which was already beating much faster from the implications from before, was now accelerating to ridiculous speeds. If he said anything else that would make her happier, she was certain either something would explode, or she'd faint... or possibly both._

_"So...?" he asked, returning her attention to the question he had asked._

_"... fine. But I decide where we go."_

Hence the dilemma now. She had never been on a date before, and when it came to socializing with the opposite sex, she was... lacking. Sure, she was normally able to easily interact with Robin and the other guys on the team before, but... Solor was openly asking her out. And thanks to all the drama that she had to face thanks to Affection, she couldn't help but get nervous at the mere thought of spending time alone with him. Fortunately, she had two friends who had a bit more experience with this certain situation.

The only problem was that Starfire really, _really _liked Solor, and you didn't need to be an empath to know that.

Raven stared at her communicator, contemplating on whether to get the Tamaranean over, when a sharp, short knock reached her ears. "Well... aren't I popular today..." she muttered, getting off of her bed and walking over to the door. Imagine her surprise when her violet eyes met with a pair of green ones. "Huh. Just who I wanted to see."

"Hello, friend!" Starfire said with a large, beaming smile. "I have come over for our meditation session, as always!"

Raven blinked a few times. "What?" That was when she remembered that once every couple of weeks, Starfire would join the empath for meditation. She felt her face flush a bit. "Oh... sorry, Star... I actually forgot about that."

The alien frowned quickly, looking at Raven with concern. "But you never forget about our sessions! Your mind is a trap of steel!"

"I know, I normally don't", Raven mentioned, before ushering the girl into her room before she closed the door. "But... with the end of the world, the party after, and a lot of other things... I forgot."

The pause in her words caused Starfire to stare at her, her own emerald eyes narrowing as she regarded the empath carefully. "What... _else _has happened recently? You seem particularly flustered, friend."

The empath let out a low sigh, lowering her head and resigning to her fate. The alien would be persistent until she got what she wanted. "Solor... asked me out on a date..."

For a moment, Raven was afraid of what the Tamaranean. She remembered Solor's story of the night he was forced to go out with Kitten, and knew the girl did not handle jealousy very well. And for a short while, it looked like Starfire wasn't sure what to say. Eventually, the red-haired girl asked a surprising question.

"Where is he taking you?"

Raven looked up, startled. Starfire wasn't looking at her in anger, but a sincere curiosity. None of the vibes she gave off betrayed her, either. "Um... I said I wanted to pick, and make sure that we don't end up going somewhere... stupid..."

Starfire gave Raven a warm smile. "I understand your preferences, Raven, but you should have more faith in Solor. He, like I, knows what you like and dislike. Have you not been paying attention to how he treats you lately?"

The empath stared at Starfire. "What?"

"He would not force you to go to a dance club or anything with similar features of loud music and crowds of people", Starfire continued. She floated over to the closet, starting to go through Raven's wardrobe. "And you most certainly should find something cute to wear! He is going to love seeing you in something besides our usual hero attire!"

Raven, however, stopped the alien, forcing the closet shut. "You're... not mad?" she asked.

The red-haired alien looked to Raven, tilting her head. "What do you mean, friend? Why would I be angry?"

"Becasue... _you _like Solor", Raven pointed out. "Ever since we all met years ago, you and him were always so close. It's only been over the last year that he's been... showing interest in anyone else."

Starfire looked away, contemplating Raven's words. "Well... had it been a short while after his birthday... perhaps. But I have contemplated the circumstances that would have allowed us to date... and find that I had very little chance from the beginning. He was so focused on returning home at that point, he would have done anything to find good graces with his leaders then. That left very little opportunity for him to truly enjoy himself. It is only now, that he willingly asked you out after some time of showing interest, that I realize he truly no longer desires his old home, and his old way of life. Perhaps, if he looked at me now the way he looks at you... I would be victorious. But the past cannot be changed, not with our means." Starfire gave Raven a gentle smile. "Besides that, I am happy with my relationship with him now. I have no problem with being just a friend, and I am glad he has found some form of happiness with someone."

Raven stared once more at Starfire, this time with the tiniest hint of admiration. Despite having once desired to form a relationship with Solor, she still held no ill will towards the half-demon girl. In her distracted state, Starfire grabbed Raven's hand, and brought her over to the closet.

"Now, friend... let us pick something so Solor shall never forget this night!"

XxXxXxX

"So... what should I do?" Solor asked, looking at who he was stuck getting advice from. Beast Boy was the first to find out (wasn't sure how, but he was certain that the shapeshifter had been a literal fly on the wall), and had insisted that Solor at least hear him out. The dragon reluctantly let the green boy into his room, explaining the situation to him.

"Well, Raven throws me out the window a lot, so I know what you shouldn't do", Beast Boy commented.

The dragon was not amused. "Beast Boy, this isn't a joke. I've never, _ever _been on a date before. No one has ever caught my interest like Raven did. I don't want to mess this up."

"Then let me tell you one thing I learned that applies to not only Raven, but to _all _girls", Beast Boy replied. "Do not, I repeat, _do not_... make her do anything she's not comfortable with trying herself."

Solor's eyebrow raised. "Care to... clarify a bit?"

The green teen let out a sigh. "Listen, dude. I know some things. I may not be technologically smart like Cyborg, and I might not be analytical like Raven, or a natural leader like Robin. Hell, I'm sure that I'll never get the same kind of experience you have. But I know a lot about people, and one thing is that if they don't want to change, then they won't. No one will make a change without deciding for themselves that they want to do things differently. So, Robin will always be obsessive about the villains, Starfire will always want to learn about our culture while trying to share hers at the same time... and Raven will always want to be cautious and in a comfort zone of her own. Hell, I'm pretty sure that her just saying yes to a date is already way more than you should expect from her."

Solor stared at the teen. "Who are you and what have you done with Beast Boy?"

"I'm being serious here, dude!" BB whined, glaring at the dragon.

"I know, I know, and that's what's so odd."

"Yeah, yeah. Make fun of the comic relief when he decides to say something cool", the shapeshifter groused. "Now, just keep that in mind, and be yourself... and everything should go smoothly."

"You're certain?" Solor asked, looking down. "I do not wish to make a fool of myself... I want everything to go right."

"Can't guarantee that, dude." Beat Boy stood up. "There's always something unexpected, so just try to react to it the best way you can." He then walked over to Solor's closet. "Now, let's see what I have to work with, and... you have a boatload of muscle shirts."

"What's wrong with those?"

"Yeah... we need some help with this..."

XxXxXxX

Solor glanced at himself in the mirror, eying his new appearance. He had taken to his slightly tan human form, but his hair was styled fairly differently now. Now, rather than keeping it short and flat, he willed the hair at the top of his head to grow longer, and combed it back. Thanks to the thick nature, it bounced back, making a natural part in the bangs. His clothes now consisted of a black t-shirt under a short-sleeved button up shirt, marked with a green, black, and white plaid pattern. He wore dark blue jeans, a black belt, and black sneakers. He ended up buttoning up the outer shirt, but other than that, it seemed to be a nice blend of formal and casual. "I must admit, Robin, I was not certain you would have clothes for me..."

The leader smirked. "I figured it's better to be prepared, in case we have another situation like Kitten. Never thought I'd have to give them to you so you could go on a proper date with Raven, of all people."

The dragon glared at the leader. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, when we first met you, you were rather distant... like Raven", Robin stated slowly, hoping to not anger the dragon. "You didn't seem interested at all in making a connection with anyone. It's just... surprising, is all."

Solor accepted that answer, and let his stature relax a bit. "Well... thank you for helping me. Now I simply hope we aren't going anywhere too fancy; I'll feel foolish if I have to go change into something more... elegant."

Before either Robin or Beast Boy could answer, the door to the ops opened up, and Starfire floated through. "If I may... I would like to introduce Raven Roth, of Azerath." She moved away from the door, revealing a sight that made all three boys drop their jaws. Raven stepped in, showing her new outfit that consisted of a purple halter top, and black jeans that hugged her form nicely. She had a silver bracelet on her right hand, and her feet were adorned with black pumps, and Solor couldn't help but feel a bit underdressed.

"H-Hello", he said, scratching the back of his neck. "You look... amazing, Ruuvak."

The empath almost squealed on the inside, but her expression remained the same (with a very tiny tinge of pink dusting her cheeks). "Thank you", she said in her normal monotone. "You... look very good, as well." She moved closer to him. "Are you ready to head out?"

"Whenever you are", he confirmed.

"Well, she ain't ready!" came Cyborg's loud voice. He burst into the room, holding up a simple looking silver ring. "Not until Raven puts this on!" The empath raised an eyebrow, but complied, surprised when her grey skin was replaced with a healthy, albeit still pale complexion, while her purple eyes turned brown and her hair became nearly black. Her red crystal on her forehead also vanished. "Holo-ring 2.0", the metal teen explained. "Can't have fanboys and girls rushing you two on your date, now can we?"

Solor chuckled a bit at Raven's startled expression, and nodded to Cyborg. "Thank you. We appreciate it." He turned to his date, who snapped out of her stupor after observing herself a tiny bit. "So, where are we going?"

"There's a new Medieval exhibit in the Jump City Museum", Raven stated. "I figured you might want to check out some of your own personal history, since you said you're seven hundred and fifty, right?"

Solor nodded, showing an impressed expression. "So, you figured out when I would first be sent into the world, then? Very well, I'll show you some points in history that won't be in the books or exhibits."

Raven smiled a tiny bit, as he started to lead the way. She turned back to the rest of the team, who all gave them encouraging smiles and thumbs up. She couldn't help but flush a tiny bit again, before turning around and walking out.

Beast Boy waited until the door closed behind them, then smirked a tiny bit. "Well... if you guys don't mind, I'm gonna go-"

However, his motions were halted when Cyborg grabbed the green bean by the back of his outfit, stopping him in his tracks as he squeaked a bit. "You're not going to spy on them", the metal teen said.

"W-What? I wasn't going to-" At the glare coming from the taller teen's cybernetic eye, Beast Boy immediately caved. "Okay, yeah, I was going to spy on them. But it was just to make sure nothing happens! You know, like a villain attack or something like that!"

"Solor and Raven can handle themselves if they happen to come across a villain", Robin pointed out. "Plus, they're both in disguise, so I don't think they'll be targeted on purpose."

"But what about-"

"Stop it, BB", Terra said, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "They'll be fine. Solor won't do anything that makes Raven uncomfortable, and Raven's not gonna throw him into another dimension. Just relax. Nothing's gonna happen."

Beast Boy looked over at her, and she could see the concern. "I know... but I've got a really bad feeling today..."

XxXxXxX

The museum wasn't as packed as a nightclub or a bar, but given who the couple was, that was more than okay by them. Solor paid for admission, allowing the two of them to walk inside with ease. Thanks to his shapeshifting and Raven's holo-ring, they weren't immediately recognized, so that allowed them to relax a tiny bit.

Once inside the Medieval exhibit, Solor began looking around, watching for specific tools and the like. He recognized many of the weapons that were used at the time, and many tools as well, talking to Raven about the different uses for many of them. Eventually, they came across a suit of armor, and he couldn't help but chuckle at it.

"I always find these to be amusing", he told her. "These warriors are only brave because they walk around in a suit made of metal, wielding sharp metal sticks, and claiming that no man could defeat them. Plus, it seemed to me that becoming a knight was a ridiculously long and meaningless journey, when literally anyone could pick up a sword and a shield and probably do just as much fighting as a so called 'holy warrior picked by God'."

"So, did these guys go around fighting dragons as well?" Raven asked. "That was a common thing back then, to go on journeys to find these 'beasts' and kill them for treasure and glory."

Solor let out a chuckle. "Actually, that was a common pick-up line among some humans that I lived with for a while. Whenever one of my companions found a woman that they liked, they would say, 'Fair maiden, I would slay a thousand dragons the size of mountains just so you would look upon me with favor'. It was ridiculous though; if they ever came across a true dragon, I know for a fact they would scream like children and run as fast as they could in the opposite direction."

Raven stared at him with an incredulous look. "So... dragons were the ultimate pick-up line in the medieval times?"

"For the most part", Solor said, though his smile faded away, his eyes becoming glossed over as he thought about the past. "Some knights, however, were successful in not only finding a dragon... but killing it as well. My brother, the only one that paid attention to me and helped my mother raise me, was killed by humans during the last years of the medieval ages. I did not return to the mortal world for a very long time after that."

Raven looked down, cursing a tiny bit in her head. _Idiot... he lost a brother during this era. This was a bad idea._

The dragon in disguise noticed Raven looking away, and quickly placed a hand on her shoulder. "You did not know, Ruuvak. I have never really spoken of my family before, so you had no way of knowing."

The empath gave a small smile, glad that he wasn't upset. But now the question was there, and she couldn't help herself. "So... do you have any family left? Besides your father, I mean..."

"I do have an older sister", Solor stated, scratching his chin. "Last I heard, she was in Japan, heading a mission as an advisor to a political leader there. I don't know what name she used as a cover, though."

As the two spoke, Solor noted in the corner of his eye a young man dressed up in a trench coat and fedora, staring at a particular piece, what looked to be a priceless sword. He stared at the figure, before shifting his position a bit. "I sense trouble", he told Raven. I'm going to see if I can ID this guy; if he's someone we know, contact the police right away."

Raven nodded, while watching Solor as he approached the person in the coat. As the dragon got close, though, he had to duck as a broad arm with a hexagonal shaped shield very nearly smashed his face in, before reaching forward and attempting to kick the villain with his foot. The man backed off, throwing off the trench coat to reveal the yellow outfit.

"Private HIVE", the dragon said with a growl, shifting into a hybrid form without wings. "Since when are you so interested in medieval weaponry?"

"Every soldier is as good as his weapon, gecko", the teen said. "And the shield I have is the perfect defense... but everyone needs a good offense as well. Besides... I heard this sword killed many dragons. The perfect weapon for the perfect soldier."

Solor glared at the villain. Sure, Private HIVE didn't have enough sense to realize that it was probably a made up story, and was mostly saying that to try and intimidate him, but he did know that even if there was a chance the blade had killed a dragon before, it would not be a good thing to let the soldier have it in his possession. So, he snarled with a grin. "Well... you have to get past me to retrieve it. All I have to do is knock you out."

The light dragon charged immediately, his claws scraping against Private HIVE's shield before he bobbed his head out of the way, narrowly dodging a kick from a yellow boot. The soldier attempted a haymaker, but the dragon used his tail to flick him in the head, making him stumble back.

Raven watched from the back. On the one hand, she wanted to help, but on the other, she was still in disguise. She knew that if she brought it down, anyone that saw they were alone will ask questions. She closed her communicator, having contacted JCPD, when she noticed that Private was distracted solely by Solor, and knew that he wouldn't expect a weapon from behind. She spotted a morning star that could be used, and silently apologized for ruining the exhibit, before encasing the weapon in her magic. With a single swing, the club struck Private HIVE right on the noggin and knocked the villain out, causing Solor to relax. He looked around, grabbing a discarded piece of armor and jamming the villain into it, trapping his arms into the breast plate, before looking over at Raven. He walked over, sighing. "Well... that kind of ruined the night, didn't it?" he asked her, shifting back to normal.

"I dunno... maybe a trip to the pizza place will make it better?" she asked, smirking. "We're heroes, Solor; this was bound to happen sooner or later."

The dragon gave a smile, grabbing Raven's hand as they made themselves scarce, leaving the museum behind in no time at all.

XxXxXxX

The rest of the date went smoothly. Solor and Raven went for pizza, thrilled that they got to go and order without worrying about Cyborg and Beast Boy arguing over the toppings. There, the two simply spoke about random topics; the villains they especially hated (Plasmus for Solor, Kardiac for Raven), their favorite missions, small talk that only heroes could have. Finally, they decided to head for the forest; Solor wanted to look at the stars, something that was very hard to do in the city.

As the two walked, knowing that Solor was probably the most dangerous thing there and they were not likely to be attacked, Solor turned to Raven. "So... if you don't mind me asking... why did you say yes?"

"Say yes to what?" Raven asked in response.

"To going out with me." The question threw her off guard, and he quickly raised his hands. "Do not get me wrong, I am thrilled... but I cannot help but ask why. I am... very different from most others."

Raven thought carefully. "Maybe... but you're also a lot nicer than most other guys." She heard him snort, and she smacked his shoulder lightly. "I'm being serious here; even though you're gruff, and may speak bluntly... you're not afraid to hurt someone's feelings because it's better if they hear the truth... whether they want to or not. And... you and I had similar histories. We were expected to act and do certain things... and we defied them all."

Solor raised an eyebrow. "How am I defiant? I still obeyed my father when he asked me questions."

"Not happily", she pointed out. "There are traditions and judgements you definitely did not agree with. You hate that you can't even look upon him with your own eyes when it's business related. You don't like that the Circle is with so little mercy, that it shows so little kindness to your people." She glanced over at him, seeing his shocked expression. "I've been in your mind, Starborn... I know so much more about you know, and..." She felt her face heat up as she looked away. "I really like the you that I know now."

Solor's heart began beating faster as he heard that last statement. He wanted to hold her close, he wanted to let her know just how much he cared.

But that was when a voice spoke up, interrupting them. "Starborn."

The bronze dragon froze, his eyes as wide as platters. He turned slowly, seeing a man and a woman staring at them. The man had amber eyes, while the woman had violet. Their hair was blonde, and their figures average, but that was all he needed to see.

"No..." he whispered. "No... not now..."

"The Circle has deemed you worthy to return", the woman said. "You are to return with us immediately."

Solor glared, growling. "Now? Really?! Where were they years ago?! Only now, when I am truly happy where I am, do they come for me?!"

"Solor, what's going on?" Raven asked, staring at the newcomers with distrust. "Who are they?"

"We are kinsmen of your friend here", the man said calmly. "We have come to collect him and bring him home, by the command of our leaders."

Raven looked between the two, Solor bristling as he glared at them. "And why would they ask for me now? They've had four years to determine me worthy to return. Was it for certain events?"

"Your participation with the defeat of Alduin has heavily influenced their decision", the woman stated.

"Your father was very impressed that you were willing to stay on Earth; that you would fight the World Eater to save only a handful of mortals", the man added.

"So, only because I am brave enough to do what you would not they decide to accept me", Solor said with a snort. "If they truly cared for me, then why did I receive no aid? Why did neither of you two come to aid me?"

"Watch your tongue, Starborn", the man said slowly, a glare coming from his amber eyes. "You may be accepted back into Lair, but you have not regained the title of Heir."

"My father can shove that title up his scaly ass for all I care!" Solor disputed. "If he thinks that I am going to answer his call like a lost puppy, then-"

That was when the woman spoke in their natural language. "_There is a new threat, Starborn_", she told him. "_The Darkness has cultivated a new weapon over the past year._"

That made Solor freeze in his tracks. He glanced at them both, still wary, but the sound of a new weapon was a nightmare scenario. "_... what kind of a threat?_"

"_An abomination_", the man said. "_That is all we can say on the matter. You will be given an assignment once we return to Lair._"

"_And what of my life here? My home here?_" Solor asked angrily, glaring at the dragons in front of him. "_Here, I am a hero! Here, I have a duty to protect people, alongside my team! I wish to stay and fight alongside my friends!_"

"_And if you choose to stay, your friends will be in danger_", the man continued. "_The Darkness does not discriminate, Starborn. They know you are here already; they have taken you once before. And if your friends choose to fight alongside you... they will die._" Solor hesitated at that, and the man pushed a little more, knowing just the words to say. "_Come with us... protect your precious friends from the Darkness... and perhaps justice will be served to the one who violated you._"

Solor looked at the two, and despite him knowing they were only playing on his desires, on his own sense of justice and duty... he knew he would be going with them. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the Titan communicator that he brought with him. Slowly, he turned to Raven, stretching out his arm. "I'm sorry, Raven", he said softly, looking at her with sad eyes. "Our date is... going to have to be cut short."

"No... you're not going with them, are you?" Raven asked, her eyes wide.

"I have no choice", Solor stated softly. "The Circle has requested my presence... I must obey."

"No, I'm not going back without you!" Raven said. "Do you realize how this will look if I come back to the tower without you? Do you know how the people will react when you've suddenly left?"

"I wish so badly to stay, Ruuvak", Solor told the empath, surprising her with his natural tongue. "When the Circle calls, all of its children must answer. Even those of us banished by them must return when our presence is required. The only ones that ignore that call are Traitors." He looked her in the eye, offering his communicator one more time. "Raven... do you know me to be a traitor?"

At those words, she knew that nothing would change his mind. "No", she said in a low tone, her voice slightly shaky. Raven slowly reached forward, still holding a mask of no emotion. She delicately took the communicator in hand, clutching it carefully as his own hand dropped. "Will you be coming back?"

Solor glanced over at her. He wished he could say yes, without a doubt. He even wished that he could say with confidence a resounding no, so that his team could forget him and move on. But... "I don't know", he said,the only answer he could give her. His words hung heavy in the air, as he turned away, walking with the strangers that were sent by the Circle. A few soft words were spoken, before a black hole appeared in the air, the void beckoning gently to him. He took a deep breath, and looked back one final time.

Raven saw the tear fall from his chin before he vanished without a trace.

XxXxXxX

Terra and Beast Boy were the first to find Raven. She had stepped inside the tower, but did not move much further than the chairs at the main entrance before she fell into one of the seats, the world going numb around her. It took her half an hour of thinking before she felt something touch her shoulder, a voice calling her name. She looked up, feeling like she was trapped in a dream as Robin gently shook her.

"Where's Solor?"

The question made the truth hit hard. All at once, the floodgates she was working so hard to hold back broke, and the tears began to fall. The only words that escaped her mouth rung in the minds and hearts of the other Titans for over a month.

"He's gone."

XxXxXxX

"Do you, Starborn, swear once more to the cause of the Circle?"

The bronze dragon, forgoing his humanoid form, had his green eyes closed. His head bowed, his heart heavy, he knew that once he said the next sentence, there would be no going back.

"I vow to serve the Circle in all ways they deem possible. I am a humble soldier, a tool to mold this world into something greater", Solor stated slowly. "I promise that my tongue will be still despite my displeasure, and the Circle's word shall be all that I follow."

The older dragons, satisfied by this, looked around them. "Starborn is to be welcomed back with open wings, Children of the First. Our wayward brother has seen the error of his past mistakes, and has been forgiven."

It was obvious from the look on Grand Death's face that he may not agree with the rest of the Circle, but he was definitely outvoted by the other members. He glared at the bronze dragon with a look of contempt. "We shall see, Grand Light... we shall see, indeed."

Solor, meanwhile, looked up at the Grand Circle, daring to lock eyes with his father. He remained silent for a moment, before a look of determination filled his gaze.

"What is this new threat?"

XxXxXxX

**And that's it! That's the end of the story... for now. Eventually I'll continue this in a new story, but until then, I hope you guys enjoyed what Solor has been going through so far!**

**Keep an eye out for the next story in the arc; it may be here sooner than you think!**


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